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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29071473">A Night to Remember</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/WarriorNamedYukina/pseuds/WarriorNamedYukina'>WarriorNamedYukina</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>BanG Dream! (Anime), BanG Dream! Girl's Band Party! (Video Game)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Dragons, F/F, Fluff and Humor, Inspired by Skyrim, Kokoro and her clowns are just vibing, Moca regularly lies to the church, Please Do Not Take This Seriously, Swordfighting, no betas we die like men</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 09:34:57</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>27,783</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29071473</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/WarriorNamedYukina/pseuds/WarriorNamedYukina</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>After a long day of exploration, Sayo the knight is enticed into conversation in her local tavern with a stranger by the name of Rinko. All goes well until Sayo suddenly passes out and wakes up far away from the tavern with a list of misdemeanors to her name. Carrying nothing more than her sword and her determination, Sayo pursues Rinko in hopes that she can help figure out what happened after the blackout.<br/>(Loosely inspired by the Skyrim quest of the same name)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Hikawa Sayo/Shirokane Rinko, Minor or Background Relationship(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>37</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. A Friendly Evening</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Sayo makes a new friend by the name of Rinko at the local tavern after trying to avoid her sister at home. Their conversation starts out normally, but things take a turn for the odd when Rinko offers a part of her custom-brewed drink to Sayo.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The town of Aster wasn’t a particularly big one. Thanks to the lively sense of community that stemmed from the farmer’s markets and the extroverted explorers, residents knew each other even if they had never met face-to-face. The Aster Tavern sat at the center of town with two lanterns that hung outside and beckoned weary workers inside after a long day. Most people visited the tavern to drink their worries away or make a friend who’d listen to their stories of woe.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>For Sayo Hikawa, the Aster Tavern was just another way to avoid her sister for an evening.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Despite being away from home for days upon end, Sayo still managed to get annoyed with Hina when she arrived back at their parent’s house. Hina had been sitting at the work desk as she tinkered away at a new, curious invention. Before Sayo could get a word in, Hina was already running around the house trying to fill the knight in on what she had missed in Aster. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“-Oh, and Aya-chan dropped all the letters on the ground!” she vaguely recalled Hina saying. “The look on her face was so not boppin’ when she had to pick them all up, so I’m inventing a device to help her pick them all up next time! And then there was a stray dog that came into town, and we all pet it…! And then-”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Sayo sighed as she looked up at the lantern of Aster Tavern. A sense of exhaustion weighed on her body at the mere thought of her sister’s rambling. She truly loved Hina, but after going on a long exhausting journey she had no intention of doing anything but sitting down and relaxing. Allowing her sister to talk her ear off was a surefire way to get a headache. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pushing open the doors to the tavern, Sayo was certain that sitting down in a room full of strangers wasn’t a much better idea. The sound of clinking glasses filled her ears and caused her to wince slightly. Looking around, she realized that a few people had already noticed her step inside. Sayo was certain she looked a lot less casual than most people in the tavern while she was well-armored, but she had no time to change into something more snug. The steel plating would have to do. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Making her way over to the bar table, Sayo made sure to sit at least two stools away from anybody else in the tavern. She was in no mood to talk after her time with Hina. Gently placing her hands on the table so it didn’t make a resonant sound, Sayo patiently waited for the bartender to realize she was there. It only took a few minutes for somebody to show up in front of her with a dry expression on their face. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ah, tough night back home, Sayo-senpai?” the bartender asked while she prepared a glass. “News of your return to Aster has already spread around the tavern. I thought you’d be asleep by now.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fate had other plans, Okusawa-san,” Sayo said calmly. “How long will it take to get a plate of fries?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Twenty minutes at the most.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Misaki Okusawa (another Aster resident, Sayo knew) took care of the tavern while the owner was out on special excursions. Coincidentally, she was also the barmaid whenever the knight ended up coming to the tavern for a late night. Sayo was often pleased with Misaki’s presence as it meant the food would arrive quicker and in better quality. Nobody cut a potato better than Misaki.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You look like you’re going to doze off before they even arrive,” Misaki prodded at Sayo’s tired figure. “How about a deal? You stay awake until the fries are done, and they’ll be on the house.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Surely your employer wouldn’t like the knowledge that you’re giving away free food?” Sayo wondered aloud. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Misaki stopped before she entered the kitchen, extending a hand towards the tables full of people drinking and eating happily together.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’ve got enough money running through this place to keep it open forever, Sayo-senpai,” she said dully. “You’re just lucky I enjoy having you around more than most.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Before Sayo could thank Misaki, she had already disappeared behind the wooden door. The idea of taking a short nap was enticing, but not having to pay for her food was even more rewarding. Staring directly into her hands, the knight began to twiddle her thumbs. The idea of killing twenty minutes was a lot easier said than done.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The only other person working in the tavern that night was Kanon Matsubara, a new trainee. Though she stumbled over her words and spilled drinks regularly, she showed promise with the customers and people seemed to like her. Sayo watched as Kanon exited the kitchen and carefully held onto two drinks in each of her hands. As she delivered them to a small group sitting together, she came dangerously close to spilling one of them onto the table. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sayo knew that the life of a barmaid wasn’t for her, however. Traveling was her life calling, and she wouldn’t have it any other way.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Growing tired of mentally critiquing Kanon’s behavior as she interacted with other people at the tavern, Sayo fought the urge to fall asleep. She considered counting the individual seconds until her head began to fall forwards. Gritting her teeth and balling her hands into fists, a tired irritation settled over the knight. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As she was about to shut her eyes again, somebody pulled out the stool beside Sayo’s. She looked up from her hands to eye the other stools first to see if they had also filled up in her tired stupor. To her shock and surprise, there were many other open places to sit. Somebody had just chosen to sit beside her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sayo turned her head to see that the person sitting at the bar was a young woman about her age with midnight black hair and a large, flowing cape. It was carefully stitched with red and purple patterns that the knight was certain had some sort of arcane meaning she didn’t know. When they finally met eyes, Sayo believed herself to be staring into a deep field of violets.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The strangest part was that Sayo didn’t recognize the woman at all. Considering that she knew everybody in Aster, an unfamiliar face was a sight to see. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you alright?” the stranger asked softly. “You were... falling asleep at the table… surely me sitting here... won’t be a disturbance?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Though Sayo wasn’t in the mood to talk to someone before, she found it interesting that the new arrival had come to sit with </span>
  <em>
    <span>her</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Whatever her intentions were, the knight didn’t feel like turning her away just because of her sour mood earlier.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m fine, thank you,” Sayo said sharply. “It’s been quite a long day and I’m waiting for some food to arrive. Your company is appreciated.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The woman looked to the other end of the bar where another man was sitting and plucking away at some food. Sayo recognized him as an older resident of Aster who had retired from hunting to live a comfortable lifestyle. They watched him eat for a few moments before the black-haired woman spoke again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There’s a tavern... full of company,” she muttered with a smile, “yet... it’s my company you appreciate?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Certainly,” Sayo affirmed. “I know everybody in Aster and conversing with them grows dull sometimes. I don’t believe we’ve met before, though, which makes your presence all the more intriguing than that of anybody else.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Though Sayo was only speaking the truth, her words got a small giggle out of the newcomer. She raised a delicate hand to her mouth to hide the grin that spread across her face. When she brought her hand down, Sayo noted her cheeks held a delicate blush the color of strawberries.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I didn’t know that…!” she said quietly. “The only people I know... are Matsubara-san and Okusawa-san…” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As if being called when her name was spoken, Kanon came back out of the kitchen with an empty glass in her hands. She carefully placed it in front of the black-haired stranger without a second thought. When Kanon pulled her hands back to her chest, Sayo was certain that she was shaking. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“R-Rinko-chan!” Kanon exclaimed. “What can I get for you tonight? A-Are you in the mood for something d-different this evening?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The name wafted through the air like it was a beautiful melody. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Rinko. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Sayo thought deeply about it as the two girls continued to talk.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll take... my regular for tonight,” Rinko spoke in a near whisper. “The one with the mixtures… Okusawa-san will know when you tell her.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kanon nodded and retreated back inside the kitchen, leaving Sayo and Rinko alone at the bar again. Her request of the barmaid had been cryptic, but it was all the more for Sayo to try and figure out. The longer the knight sat with Rinko in her presence, the more awake she felt. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I apologize for eavesdropping, but your name is Rinko?” Sayo asked once she was sure Kanon wouldn’t return.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shirokane Rinko,” she said with a small smile, “and what is yours?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hikawa Sayo. Not to be confused with my sister Hina, who is also a prominent figure here in town,” Sayo said, closing her eyes at the mention of her sister. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m... afraid I haven’t heard of either of you...” Rinko mumbled. “I hope that can be forgiven.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I would not expect one to know me unless they lived in Aster. I’m just an explorer, after all.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“An explorer…? What do you explore, Hikawa-san?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Before she could answer the question, Kanon returned with a strange liquid in a bottle. She shook it slightly before pouring it into Rinko’s bottle with a slow, satisfying tilt. As it filled up the bottle, Sayo watched as the mixture separated into layers of different colors. She stared at it until it filled close to the top of the glass with four different colorations in the same drink.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“W-Will that be all today, Rinko-chan?” Kanon asked with her empty bottle tight in her grip.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes… thank you, Matsubara-san.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kanon immediately disappeared again as Sayo eyed the mixture with a judging eye. It was black, purple, grey, and lilac all at once. Before Sayo could ask any questions, Rinko lifted the drink to her lips and let the lilac liquid slide into her mouth. She placed the glass down with a gentle touch, her wrist lightly touching the wooden table. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her hands looked particularly soft in the warm tavern light.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You are familiar with the tavern owner’s assistants?” Sayo asked, trying to distract herself from the glaringly strange drink Rinko had been given.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ah… yes!” Rinko said with sudden pep. “We have some history… nothing bad, but a few encounters in remote places.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rinko returned her hands to her lap and pushed some of her hair back. Watching every movement she made with intrigue, Sayo noticed that she was shaking just a bit. It was hard to see beneath her large cape, but the knight was able to pick up on the small intricacies of the newcomer’s body language. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shirokane-san,” Sayo began, “I feel that you should not have to be nervous speaking to me. If I am coming off as imposing, please inform me immediately. I do not wish to make you uncomfortable, as you did wish to speak to me in the first place.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Instead of responding right away, Rinko’s hand returned to her mouth to hide her smile. The blush on her cheeks from before never appeared to go away and only grew a bit more vibrant. There was a distant glimmer in Rinko’s eyes that Sayo nearly missed as she put her hands back in her lap.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You are... quite polite, Hikawa-san,” Rinko continued. “Before my drink came, I was wondering… where do you explore? Is it enjoyable?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I travel all over the world for various reasons,” Sayo answered. “Sometimes I am requested at a castle to protect royals, or I may be told to slay a monster in the woods.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rinko took another sip of her drink before continuing. The grey began to mix with the lilac in her cup, and it took all of Sayo’s willpower to not stare.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You slay monsters…?” Rinko said softly. “Does that include witches?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sayo raised a hand to her chin. She truly hadn’t been on too many excursions that dealt with witches, but she had fought off a few witches in her time as a knight. It was a very particular monster to ask about, though she supposed it was as normal as a child asking if she had ever slain a dragon.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You could say it does,” Sayo explained, “though I haven’t seen too many witches.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Talk of witches reminded Sayo of a conversation she had with her sister a few months back. They were both sitting in the common room working on some meager task before Hina had interrupted Sayo with a starstruck look in her eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Onee-chan! Do you think witches are even human? Do you think they have weird tentacles instead of hands? I wonder how long the nose of a witch is! Have you ever seen one before? Do they have houses made out of gingerbread?”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>The memory dared to give her a headache if she thought about it for too long.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I have never slain any witches, however,” Sayo said with certainty. “After all, they are people just as much as we are. I would strike a malicious witch down, but never take her life.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rinko’s expression softened as Sayo finished her short spiel and took a deep breath. For a split second, Sayo looked longingly over to the kitchen. By then it had to have been more than 20 minutes since she requested the fries, so Misaki was really testing her limits. Thankfully, Sayo was no longer anywhere close to falling asleep. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As if the knight wasn’t awake enough, she felt a sudden softness in one of her hands. Peering at her right hand, which was sitting useless in her lap, Rinko had reached over to her and placed a hand on top of her idle one. Taking a moment to look between Rinko’s hand and her own, Sayo found herself growing flustered. Such gestures were uncommon between strangers.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think... what you said was noble,” Rinko whispered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Closing her eyes, Sayo could feel blistering heat on her cheeks. It was bad enough Rinko’s hand was as soft as she imagined it being, but it was </span>
  <em>
    <span>on top of </span>
  </em>
  <span>her own hand. The openness would’ve made Sayo explode if she had any less composure at the moment. Taking a deep breath, she smiled through her blatant embarrassment. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“O-Of course,” Sayo said confidently. “I’m a knight… being noble is in my blood. Though I must learn to be physically strong, I must learn to have a strengthened mind too. That is the way of a warrior.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Just as Sayo was beginning to lose feeling in all her body except the hand Rinko clung to, Misaki exited the kitchen with a plate of freshly cut fries. She sighed loudly upon seeing Rinko and Sayo sitting beside each other, the latter of the two still awake. Rinko’s hand immediately retreated from Sayo’s at the sign of the barmaid.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A plate of fries for the winner of our little bet,” Misaki said flatly. “Though, I think chatting it up with Rinko-senpai would count as cheating. You never would have made it alone.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A bet?” Rinko said while looking to Sayo. “What’s going on...?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okusawa-san was certain I would be asleep by the time these arrived, so she offered them to me free of charge if I stayed up,” Sayo explained. “I don’t think I would’ve made it without you here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let me pay for it regardless…” Rinko muttered, thrusting her hand into a deep pocket. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Misaki feverishly waved her hands in front of her face. With a nervous smile, she got Rinko and Sayo’s attention.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nonsense! You two eat free tonight,” she insisted. “Just keep chatting it up or whatever. Don’t let Kanon and I interrupt the two of you. We’ll take care of everything.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The bartenders fled into the kitchen as quickly as they had reappeared with only the plate of fries as a sign that they had been around. Sayo salivated at the sight of them. She wanted to begin plucking them off the pile one-by-one to viciously devour them. Nothing was better than Misaki’s fries.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ah, Shirokane-san,” Sayo said before digging into the fries, “I do not know if you’ve ever had these before. They are slices of potato carefully cut into fries. Okusawa-san has a special oven and cooking techniques that allow for them to be golden and crunchy. It is quite possibly the best thing I have ever eaten, and I do not mind sharing that luxury with you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Looking at the plate of fries with an intrigued expression, Rinko carefully picked one up from the top of the pile. It was around average length, but it had a perfect golden crisp across the entire fry. She raised it to her mouth in the same fashion that Sayo had with the various fries she had already devoured before carefully biting down on it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She couldn’t help but note how carefully Rinko ate. Every movement she made was soft and gentle. Once she finished the whole thing, she lifted her drink to her lips again and smiled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“These are wonderful… I can see why you like them!” Rinko told Sayo with a beaming smile. “I... appreciate you sharing these with me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sayo immediately wanted to tell Rinko that she’d do the same for anybody, but she knew it would have been a blatant lie. Sharing her fries with </span>
  <em>
    <span>anybody </span>
  </em>
  <span>in Aster seemed like a crime. Giving away the golden potato slices would mean there was less for her to eat. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>For some reason, however, Sayo felt unbothered sharing her favorite snack with Rinko.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“...Maybe I should let you try some of... my own favorite things,” she spoke calmly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Reaching for the glass sitting in front of her, Sayo felt her blood run cold. Rinko slid the glass towards Sayo and the liquids inside began to shift slightly. Purple bled into black, and black bled into grey. It was beginning to look like an unfinished potion inside a glass instead of a cauldron.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This is a drink that I request from Matsubara-san…” Rinko told her. “She mixes various ingredients... to create a vibrant drink that warms your heart.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Looking into the glass, Sayo was hesitant to pick it up for multiple reasons. Not only did it look funny, but she would be drinking out of Rinko’s cup: </span>
  <em>
    <span>the cup she put her lips on. </span>
  </em>
  <span>At least sharing a plate of fries was easy, but Sayo was uncertain if the black-haired stranger backwashed into her cup at all. On one side of the coin, it was frightening.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>On the other, as she raised the glass to her lips, Sayo felt as if she had nothing to lose. She wasn’t sure whether it was exhaustion speaking or her starstruck state of mind, but she found minimal hesitation as she placed her mouth against the glass. The knight tilted the drink back and took a decent-sized sip before putting the glass back down. Pushing it towards Rinko, she waited a moment to taste it in full.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At first, it seemed like nothing more than a thick liquid. Once she swallowed it, however, Sayo felt lighter than air. There was a slight buzzing in her ears and a strange lightness in her fingertips. All at once, she felt like she was filled with a warm sensation as if she were being hugged tightly by her mother. The knight’s heart was swollen with a loving, caring feeling that continued to spread all through her body. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She watched with wide eyes as Rinko took the glass back and lifted the cup to her own lips, placing them directly where Sayo had taken a sip moments before. Carefully setting it back onto the table, she smiled softly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“...What do you think?” she asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sayo wasn’t sure what she thought. She was thinking so many thoughts at once that she felt like her brain was going to melt out of her ears. The feeling of overwhelming warmth mixed with uncertainty and fear made her fingers twitch slightly. She felt extremely awake and tired all at once.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I feel magical,” Sayo mumbled, putting a hand to her head. “You drink all of that?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rinko nodded as she took a few more fries from the pile. Looking blankly at the golden potato slices, Sayo wasn’t even sure she could handle any fries. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s made up of many ingredients I’ve been using... since I was young…” Rinko told Sayo while delicately munching. “I experienced similar sensations... at the age of six.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>All she could do was nod along to Rinko’s statements. She continued to talk about the ingredients that Kanon mixed into the drink, but the buzzing in Sayo’s ears grew louder and louder as she blankly stared at Rinko. Eventually, everything around her seemed to fade out of existence besides Rinko and the strange drink that sat beside her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know… we could collect the ingredients to make more... if you want,” Rinko said softly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Despite speaking in low tones, her voice dominated Sayo’s perception. All she could hear was the kind words Rinko spoke and the slight shift of her cape as she moved her arm to grab another fry. The knight nodded as a small smile spread across her face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She hardly even noticed she was slowly falling forwards.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh no, Hikawa-san!” Kanon’s distant voice exclaimed. “Is everything alright?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She’ll be fine,” Misaki responded. “Always is.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Collapsing to the ground, Sayo could feel nothing but the prickling of her fingers and the warm glow within her chest. Her heartbeat was vicious; she worried that if someone were to touch her at all that they’d feel it. They’d feel the heat of her heart, the twitches of her fingers, and the powerful heartbeat within her entire body.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Two soft, delicate hands took her own. The shock of feeling gave Sayo just enough power to open up her eyes one more time. She peered directly into the warm, loving gaze of Rinko Shirokane. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I apologize…” she said in a whisper louder than anything else in the room. “I promise we’ll fix this…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Between the sound of her heartbeat, the feeling of Rinko’s hands, and the overwhelming blaze that overtook Sayo’s face, she felt her body give out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Closing her eyes, Sayo Hikawa lost conciousness. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Sayo isn't dead guys I promise she's fine<br/>The drink wasn't dangerous it just had magical ingredients<br/>Y'know because Rinko totally isn't of magical descent and can handle it better than a nonmagical human being (・・；)<br/>HAHA. ANYWAYS.</p><p>Next chapter: Lisa wields the Holy Bible</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Ungodly Wrath</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>After waking up in a temple, Sayo realizes it's been multiple days since her time at the tavern. She is given little time to acclimate to the situation, however, as priestess Lisa demands reconciliation for the trouble Sayo has caused.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>When Sayo regained consciousness, she felt like she had recovered from a nasty fever. Memories swirled around her mind with no particular point of origin. Slowly sitting up without opening her eyes, she placed a hand against her forehead to make sure that she wasn’t burning up for any reason. Her body temperature felt completely normal. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Restoring her vision slowly, Sayo realized that she was sitting in the middle of what appeared to be a religious building. Statues sat along all walls depicting a godly figure with outstretched arms and a stone head. It didn’t appear as if the temple was well cleaned, however, as various bottles and loaves of bread were scattered across the ground.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A sharp voice suddenly cut through the air, causing Sayo’s body to stiffen. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Aha! She’s awake~ ♪”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Turning towards the source of the sound, Sayo noticed a brunette woman with curved green eyes staring at her from one of the few seats in the temple. She wore a tunic with a white hood and a grassy green skirt that trailed down to her legs. A thick, leather-bound book sat in her right hand as she approached Sayo with a cat-like grin across her face. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“H-Hello?” the knight muttered with uncertainty. “Where am I…?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The woman stopped in front of Sayo with the book tight in her grasp. Her smile never left her face, but there was an emptiness in her unyielding stare. Every footstep she took had resonated across the room with a distant echo that grew louder as she got closer to the knight. Standing before Sayo, she raised the small book close to her chest. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“...Are you serious?” the woman asked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sayo nodded slowly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes. I am trying to figure out how-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She was immediately interrupted as the woman delivered a hard blow to Sayo’s face with the book in her hand. Slapping her directly with the leather-bound tome, the woman’s previous smile twisted into an expression filled with murderous rage. Sayo raised a hand to her cheek and touched the spot where she had been hit moments ago. The stinging sensation left behind made her certain that the hit was intended to hurt. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re INSANE!” the woman exclaimed. “You come into </span>
  <em>
    <span>my </span>
  </em>
  <span>church, you trash all </span>
  <em>
    <span>my </span>
  </em>
  <span>displays, and you have the guts to ask me </span>
  <em>
    <span>WHERE </span>
  </em>
  <span>you are? If I had any less restraint, I’d gut you alive!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When her words sunk in, Sayo felt a lump form in her throat. She didn’t know she was capable of making such a mess of a religious building. To make matters worse, the knight was certain that she wasn’t lying on the floor of the church in Aster. The place she had woken up in was somewhere far from home. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Please, there must be some kind of mistake!” Sayo cried out, raising her hands to her face in defense against the book. “I would never do this consciously. Are you sure I’m the one who put the premises in such disarray?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The woman’s eyes tightened into slits as she put her hands behind her back and leaned forwards. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I am not one to make mistakes, blasphemer. You should be thankful I left you to sleep after your rampage instead of forcing you to clean up right away~✩” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Though Sayo was curious as to how the woman was speaking in stars, there were many more questions she needed answered first. The knight needed to know where she was and who she was talking to so she could try to figure out how she had arrived at the church. Taking a deep breath, she looked at the woman with a straight face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My name is Sayo Hikawa and I am a knight from the town of Aster,” she explained in a clear tone of voice. “Do you know anything about how I got here?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You barged straight through the doors of my temple!” the brunette exclaimed. “Do you not remember?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sayo tried to think back on the moment in time that she had broken into a temple, but she was drawing blanks. Trying to scour her memory for something that would help her understand, she grasped at threads of events from various points of her life. No matter how long she thought about it, however, nothing helped her recall how she had arrived.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>What she </span>
  <em>
    <span>did </span>
  </em>
  <span>recall was the warm sensation she got after taking Rinko’s drink. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Rinko. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Gasping aloud, Sayo was certain she had something that would help.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Miss,” she said while trying to stand, “have you seen a woman by the name of Rinko? She had to have been with me! I swear it!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>After Sayo spoke again, she was immediately whacked across the other cheek with the leather-bound book. She tried to resist the urge to bring her hand to where she was hit but she couldn’t help herself. Both sides of her face felt dull and pained, and speaking out against the woman seemed ineffective.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“First of all,” the woman explained, “my name is not </span>
  <em>
    <span>Miss, </span>
  </em>
  <span>it is </span>
  <em>
    <span>Imai Lisa! </span>
  </em>
  <span>Secondly, I will tell you nothing until you clean up your mess! All of it!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span> Slowly, Sayo rose from the ground. Back in Aster, she was the pinnacle of strength and tranquility to those who knew her. To hear that she had trashed a temple for some reason seemed unruly and out of character. If Lisa insisted that she had done it, however, Sayo had no reason to fight back. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She steadily approached one of the statues with an observant eye. The stone face of a god stared down upon her with his arms open to all who dared stand in his presence. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“...Dare I ask who you worship here?” Sayo wondered as she turned back to Lisa.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Babanbo-sama,” she responded quickly, “and may his name be hallowed. Amen.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The name was an unfamiliar one to the knight. Looking to Babanbo’s feet, she saw an empty bottle on its side. A few identical bottles were scattered across the room and a few had broken into scattered shards of glass. It certainly wasn’t safe for anybody who was trying to walk through the church.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bending over and picking up a few of the bottles still intact, Sayo was starting to understand why Lisa insisted she did the cleaning. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She stumbled across the floor as she scooped bottles into her hands. Approaching Lisa with a distressed expression, Sayo was immediately redirected to a basket on the other side of the church. Handful after handful, she picked up pieces of glass in front of one of the statues. The knight sighed with exasperation at the sight of the other messes and piles of fragments across the floor. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, Imai-san,” Sayo wondered as she grabbed another bottle, “you mentioned this was your church. Do you have any relations with your god?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I have a deep connection with Babanbo-sama~ ♪!” Lisa explained lightly. “I’ve been taking care of the church since I was little and I wouldn’t have it any other way! </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sayo felt a small prickle in her hand as she grabbed a few shards of glass at once. The edge of one of the pieces dared to pierce her skin and draw blood, so she adjusted it with a few open fingers to the best of her ability. She refused to get injured in the presence of the very unapologetic priestess. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you certain I was the one to make this mess?” the knight asked. “I don’t even know if it’s humanly possible for me to carry all these bottles at once.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lisa clicked her tongue in disappointment. Her disapproving head-shaking spoke for itself. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There’s a lot of things you don’t seem to remember, Sayo! I guess you also don’t remember blabbering about necromancy and a ring…” she said,  “...or the part where you threw bottles across the temple and attacked my associate and I. Don’t get me started on the way you curled up on the ground like an infant and muttered to yourself until you fell asleep. Some knight you are!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Necromancy and rings were two things Sayo was entirely unfamiliar with. Even Hina had never spoken about far-fetched ideas like necromancy, and neither of the Hikawa sisters was interested in jewelry. When Lisa recounted her story, Sayo was absolutely certain that there was no possible way she was the one being talked about. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The way Sayo’s head fogged up when she tried to recall what happened since taking Rinko’s drink made her realize she had no choice but to believe the priestess. Picking up a few more bottles, Sayo sighed with disappointment. She hoped the knowledge would never leave the circle of Babanbo-sama’s worshippers. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The bread is mine too?” Sayo asked as she stepped over a loaf. “There’s enough bread here to feed a small town.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, that’s not yours,” Lisa said suddenly, looking around the temple. “Those are offerings made to Babanbo-sama. My associate Moca brings bread from all over the town to leave at the feet of the lord… and they disappear in the mornings! He is accepting our gifts with great kindness and pleasure~✩”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sighing to herself, Sayo was uncertain that a loaf of bread was enough to appease a god. She was also sure that a god would not appear nightly at a temple just to accept more bread loaves. Religion worked wonders on the mind, she believed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Speaking of the town, where am I? This isn’t Aster by any means.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’ve come a long way from Aster,” Lisa explained with a shrug. “Our little church is in the heart of Morringridge, many days from your hometown.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gasping and nearly dropping one of the bottles tight in her hands, Sayo recalled where Morringride was in comparison to her home. Lisa wasn’t lying when she said the journey was a long way away; it would take at least a full day to arrive home if the knight journeyed on foot. She shoved an open hand into one of her pockets in hopes that she had the gold to afford a horse to ride back. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She grasped at nothing. Lisa’s cat-like grin grew larger.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“...Imai-san,” Sayo spoke slowly, “where is my gold?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The five gold pieces on your body were put into church donations,” the priestess said with a giggle. “I assumed that you would want to give some gold to our establishment to help atone for your sin of destroying property~♪”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The knight choked on the air. She remembered having more than five gold pieces in Aster. Even if her resting body weren’t robbed by the worshippers of Babanbo, she had nowhere near enough to afford a horse to get her home. Distress wracked her body as she threw another bottle into the far basket. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her cheeks still stung. Stopping only to raise a hand to her burning face, Sayo turned to Lisa with a grimace.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What would possess you to beat me with such a hardened tome? It still hurts!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The priestess had never put the book down. Pulling it to her hands from where she sat, Lisa effortlessly opened it up and scanned the pages. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The holy text of Babanbo-sama is both a sacred tool and a deadly weapon.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nodding slowly, the knight resigned to asking the priestess fewer questions. Most of her responses boiled down to either religion or Sayo being a fool. She continued to pad around the church in silence as she picked up the last of the glass fragments and bottles scattered across the ground. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She questioned the need to have bread at the feet of every Babanbo statue multiple times. Though bread was good food, it surely wasn’t as fantastic as the potato. If the knight was ever in Morringridge again, she was sure that she would share a few words with the crop farmers. There was still so much to be achieved from the potato and the Aster tavern was only the beginning of its greatness. She craved Misaki’s fries. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Finally picking up the last of the glass, Sayo cleaned off her hands over the wastebasket. Turning to Lisa with an exasperated sigh, the priestess smiled and closed her large book. She folded her arms across her chest with a hearty grin, though the knight couldn’t stop comparing her to a cheeky cat. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A fine job!” she exclaimed. “I didn’t expect anything less from a knight. If you weren’t so desperate to get home, you’d make a fine member of the church staff~♪” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Enough small talk,” Sayo stopped her sternly, “I have a few questions that need answering. If you truly watched me make this mess, then perhaps you’re the only one who can help me answer them.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lisa’s smile fell immediately.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright. What are they?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“First,” Sayo began, “I need to know if I was accompanied by a woman named Rinko Shirokane. She has midnight-colored hair, deep violet eyes, and a well-decorated cape. In size, she is shorter than me, but not by much. She was the last person I remember being with and if she’s around town I must find her.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shaking her head, Lisa’s expression turned to a frown.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I haven’t heard of any Rinko’s in Morringridge,” she said lowly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cursing beneath her breath, Sayo realized that eliminated a lot of questions she could have asked. There was no use elaborating upon the strange drink or the sensations she felt if the priestess knew nothing about Rinko.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“In that case,” Sayo continued, “I need to know if you have any of my other belongings that may be of importance. Keep my gold, but I must get the rest of my supplies back if I’m to make the trek home.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She watched closely as Lisa produced two objects from seemingly nowhere. In one hand she held Sayo’s sword and in the other she grasped a small piece of paper. Holding them both out towards the knight, her smile returned. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I was tempted to sell your sword off for more gold,” Lisa admitted, “but Moca convinced me to keep it. I suppose neither of us considered giving it back to you at any point, but you’ve been kind enough. Consider this Babanbo-sama’s blessing.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Taking her sword back and slinging it over her shoulder, Sayo could feel a sense of familiarity with her weapon returned to her back. If anybody else tried to attack her with a large book then she was prepared to fight back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“...And what about the paper?” she asked while eyeing Lisa’s other hand. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The priestess quickly unfolded the paper and showed Sayo the contents. It was hard to read most of the notations made upon it as the penmanship was poor and most of the words had too many shaky lines to be determined for certain. The entire bottom half of the page was illegible, but the top half had a few distinctive phrases.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>INGREDIENTS:</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p>
<ul>
<li><em><span>HOLY WATER</span></em></li>
</ul><ul>
<li><span>DRAGON’S CLAW</span></li>
</ul><ul>
<li><span>WEREWOLF FUR</span></li>
</ul><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“...I don’t have a clue what any of this means.” Sayo said in confusion. “I’m aware that they’re all objects, but none of them are of any importance to me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It was in one of your pockets when you finally fell asleep,” Lisa explained as she held the page out towards the knight. “Last time I checked, holy water was a religious object and not an </span>
  <em>
    <span>ingredient. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Moca called it a recipe for disaster.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Taking the note from Lisa’s hand and pocketing it, the knight sighed in shame.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She is probably correct in saying that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Turning away from the priestess, she began to walk towards the exit to the temple. While she was far from home, thankfully being an explorer meant that Sayo knew exactly where she had to go to get there. Though the journey would take a while, she knew that she had to get back. The other worshippers of Babanbo certainly would not be happy with her presence within the church she had desecrated so recently. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ah, wait! Sayo, before you go!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She turned around in the entryway of the building as Lisa approached with significant grace. Although she wasn’t outfitted in armor or anything particularly protective, Sayo saw the potential for a fighter in her. If she swung her sword as hard as she hit people with her book, she could easily defend those she loved.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“...You mentioned something before falling asleep that I felt was important,” Lisa said quickly. “It was something about the town of Wolford. I’m not sure what it was, but you were quite passionate about it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>For a few moments, Sayo retreated into her thoughts. She didn’t plan on visiting Wolford on the way home, but if it held any information regarding her blackout and missing memories then she couldn’t leave the lead hanging. Cracking a small smile, the knight nodded her head in thanks to the priestess.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you, Imai-san,” she said calmly. “I will be making my way there next. I appreciate all your help.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Turning away without another moment to spare, Sayo pushed open the front door to the temple and immediately began dashing down the stairs. Lisa stood in the doorway and waved her off with a cheshire grin on her face and her brunette hair being blown around softly by the wind.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Safe travels, Sayo! May Babanbo-sama light your path and help you find your friend!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Finally shutting the door once Sayo was no longer in her sight, Lisa returned to the interior of the chapel. Truthfully, the church of Babanbo had never looked so clean. Though she refused to admit that the knight had done a much larger service than the priestess had expected, it was a huge help. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She sat down and sighed as the door to the building opened again. Turning her head to see who it was, Lisa was surprised to see her ivory-blonde associate returning so soon.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lisa-san…!” Moca said slowly as she entered the church. “The blasphemer is getting away!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sinner no longer, Moca,” Lisa said with a smile. “She cleaned the whole place up. Can you believe she came all the way from Aster? Didn’t remember anything about how she got here either!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s pretty far~,” Moca noticed. “Did you ask about all her adventures? She looked like she could wrestle Babanbo-sama himself… how strong.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sighing softly, Lisa leaned against her hand. Pestering Sayo about the adventures she went on sounded a lot more interesting than beating her into oblivion with a holy book. Unbeknownst to the rest of the clergy besides Moca, Lisa had an extreme interest in exploring beyond the church and going on adventures for weeks upon end away from her home. She read books all the time about knights who saved princesses and slain monsters in their spare time. It sounded a lot more glorious than tending a church.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, I didn’t,” Lisa admitted. “I hadn’t even considered asking. My one chance to learn more about the world beyond Morringridge… and I let it get away!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Angrily shaking her fists upwards, she hardly realized that she was viciously gesturing directly at the statue of Babanbo. Immediately placing her hands back into her lap, she mumbled apologies under her breath. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s never too late to go explore a little,” Moca said as she sat down beside Lisa. “Moca-chan can handle your duties while you’re away… and Babanbo-sama will never abandon you~” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Looking at the doorway that Sayo had stood in only minutes beforehand, Lisa thought about Moca’s words. The idea of leaping and bounding into the unknown and meeting new people seemed enticing. The tips of her toes and the points of her fingers felt fuzzy as she imagined the amazing sensations and the adventures she could go on. Being a priestess was fulfilling, sure, but the distant call for adventure was reaching her ears. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Slowly standing up, Lisa turned to Moca with a glimmer in her eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll think about it. For now, tidy up anything else you can. I’m heading into town for a while.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Moca asked no questions as Lisa walked out the doors with a confident stride. She pushed back her hood and opened up her arms towards the brilliant light. Hopping down the stairs, she disappeared from the vision of Moca, who looked towards the piles of offerings that sat at Babanbo’s feet.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When she was certain Lisa was gone, Moca feverishly began feasting on one of the buns she had delivered hours before. If her god wasn’t going to come down from the heavens and take the people’s bread, then she would. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Having Lisa on an adventure meant she’d get to chase her dreams </span>
  <em>
    <span>and </span>
  </em>
  <span>that she’d be away for longer. For Moca, that meant less supervision and more food. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>And so the journey begins! Lisa is lowkey ooc but I like to feed my personal belief that she'd make one badass cleric (like. the ones in dnd with the super high AC and the giant mace with the healing spells? Very awesome.)</p><p>Next chapter: Ako is okay with putting Sayo's life on the line for a magic gem</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. The Dragon's Hoard</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Sayo is stopped in a small farmer's town by necromancer Ako, who accuses the knight of thievery. Getting her precious gem back seems easy until Ako reveals who Sayo sold the object to.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The journey to Wolford only took a few hours without stopping. Sayo walked down the gravel paths of Morringridge until they turned to dirt. Stopping once near the woods to clean off her boots, Sayo fought back the feeling of hunger and her growling stomach in hopes that she would be given hospitality at Wolford. Trying to think back upon her memories since being in the Aster tavern, even with the mysterious note that Lisa had given her Sayo continually drew blanks. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Wolford was a small farmer’s town with a higher population of sheep and cattle than actual humans. Though Sayo had never stopped inside the town itself, she had passed nearby enough times to know that it was generally a calm and unproblematic town. As Sayo entered the heart of the area, a strong-looking woman with red hair was carefully pouring feed for a pen of sheep. The knight walked with an air of power and professionalism as if to tell the residents of Wolford that she was not to be messed with. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her composure only broke whenever she thought about the ingredients on the note again. Werewolf fur and holy water seemed hard to collect, and Sayo didn’t even want to consider what she’d have to go through to obtain a dragon’s claw. Though she was a skilled knight, even she had her fears. Some things seemed too dangerous if she dared take them on alone. Thankfully, she had no reason to face off with a dragon.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sighing with relief, she hardly noticed a short, purple-haired person standing in the middle of the road. She held a peculiarly ornate stick in one of her hands and what appeared to be an oversized tooth in the other. Her hair was tied up in twintails and she wore the cloak of a dark wizard.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When Lisa’s words returned to Sayo’s mind, however, she froze in place. The priestess had mentioned the knight blabbering about </span>
  <em>
    <span>necromancy </span>
  </em>
  <span>in her abnormal stupor. Something about that specific detail and the strange presence of the short girl felt too strange to be a coincidence.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“YOU!” The purple-haired girl snapped, pointing the tooth she held at Sayo. “You’ve got a lot of nerve to stumble back into…into…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They both stood still for a moment as the girl looked at her stick as if deeply pondering something. After a few seconds, she immediately returned to her defensive position.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“-Ako’s realm of darkness!” she exclaimed. “You have a ton of nerve to return to Ako’s great realm of darkness! What do you have to say for yourself, foolish mortal?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Raising an eyebrow in curiosity, Sayo was certain that she hadn’t fallen into any realms of darkness. She was still standing in Wolford and the only thing that seemed out of place was the presence of the stranger ‘Ako’ yelling at her. Sighing to herself, the knight was in no position to entertain the child’s fantasies. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“This is not the ‘realm of darkness’,” Sayo said sharply. “I don’t know what you’re prattling about. Go back home to your parents.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The short girl puffed her cheeks and marched up to Sayo. Every one of her footsteps fell across the ground with a threatening </span>
  <em>
    <span>stomp </span>
  </em>
  <span>and her hands were balled up into angry fists. Sucking in her breath and taking a step back, the knight reached nervously for her sword in case she would have to move quickly to defend herself. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m not going anywhere until you say sorry, thief!” the girl suddenly cried. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her irritation was quickly washed away by sadness, which was present all through her face. Even worse was the fact that she had called Sayo a thief, though it was against the warrior’s code to steal from others, no matter how much they had to spare. As a knight she knew that stealing was wrong, so the accusations pointed against her didn’t seem reasonable.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Thief? I believe you have the wrong person,” Sayo continued. “I’m a knight from Aster trying to make my way home. If you could excuse me-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She tried to sidestep around Ako only to be suddenly blocked by the decorative stick trapping her leg as she shifted forward. Realizing that the only direction she could step was backward, Sayo began to feel uneasy.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I wouldn’t care if you were an ugly demon from…” Ako continued, pondering her words. “...a nasty demon from the vats of the underworld! I know </span>
  <em>
    <span>exactly</span>
  </em>
  <span> who you are, and you stole my focus!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Shoving her hands into her pockets, Sayo was certain that if she had any other mysterious objects that Lisa would have given them back to her. She didn’t know what the focus was, but if it was on her body then she would have had it returned at the church. Deciding to act in a cordial manner instead of further arguing with the girl, Sayo sighed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“...My sincerest apologies, but I believe I’ve lost my memories from the last few days,” Sayo explained. “I do not know what a focus is and I do not recall ever selling it. My name is Hikawa Sayo- are you sure you aren’t trying to flag down another knight from Aster?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The short girl suddenly shoved the stick against Sayo’s throat, the top threateningly resting close to her neck. At any moment she could have chosen to spin the stick and injure Sayo’s windpipe, which would have hindered her progress greatly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Then let me spell it out for you,” she snapped. “You mugged me while I was tending the sheep last night and ripped my necromancy focus right off my neck! You didn’t come back until a few hours later and when you finally did, you gave me THIS!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Taking the oversized tooth she held tightly in her other hand, Ako shoved it in Sayo’s face. Leaning back, the knight nearly lost her balance between the pressure of the stick and the tooth being forced onto her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You know what you told me this was? A dragon’s claw! You ran off with Ako’s most prized possession for a dragon’s claw! Onee-chan sat at the river for weeks trying to find something so special, and you </span>
  <em>
    <span>LOST </span>
  </em>
  <span>it!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Wrestling her hand beneath the stick holding her in place, Sayo was growing tired of Ako’s accusatory behavior. She sharply flicked her wrist upwards and watched as Ako lost control of the stick long enough for Sayo to draw her sword from her back and hold it in front of her body protectively. Not daring to move closer to Ako but refusing to back down, a frown crossed her face. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The mention of the dragon’s claw brought Sayo’s mind back to the list of ingredients. She caught her breath and decided to take a gamble.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“...A dragon’s claw, you said?” Sayo asked slowly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ako pulled it back towards her waist and held out her stick as if it were a sword as sharp as Sayo’s.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That is what you said,” Ako said with certainty. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And do you remember anything else I ended up saying to you?” The knight continued in a calmer tone of voice, her eyes slowly widening.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The short girl immediately shoved the dragon’s claw deep into a hidden fold of her cloak before glaring darkly at Sayo. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I won’t tell you a thing unless you get the focus back.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Exasperated, Sayo sighed as she drew her sword close to her body. She was in no mood to fight the child, especially if the person she allegedly sold the focus to was able to provide a dragon’s claw. They had to have been a dangerous opponent, but she needed to get the focus back. The only way she’d figure out more about her missing memories was to ask Ako. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Then can you tell me what the focus looks like and where I sold it? The more details you can provide, the more likely I am to return the correct object.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As if Sayo had asked a golden question, Ako drew her stick back and grinned from ear to ear. She held a hand in front of her face so it covered her mouth and her nose, but one of her eyes still poked through her delicately arranged fingers. She closed her eyes and laughed darkly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The necromancy focus is a powerful tool used by magicians skilled in raising the dead,” Ako began. “They appear like small jewels but hold immense power when adopted as a focus… Ako’s is a red gem that is… uhm…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She hesitated a moment before her hand exploded forward.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“...yes! Ako’s focus is a red gem that is more brilliant than flickering flames!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The knight attempted to mentally picture what the focus looked like. It was a small, red gem that apparently held a certain glimmer to it. Though she wasn’t sure of anything beyond that, she still found the knowledge to be better than nothing at all. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You still haven’t explained to me where the gem was sold,” Sayo said sharply. “Once I know the vendor, then I can get back what was rightfully yours.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She wasn’t certain on </span>
  <em>
    <span>how</span>
  </em>
  <span> she was going to get the focus back considering Ako hadn’t given her the dragon’s claw back to make a rightful exchange, but the knight was going to do her best to make up for her mistake. Stealing was wrong no matter what, and the necromancer deserved compensation. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The dark and eerie grin that crossed Ako’s face made Sayo wonder if being a good person had a price. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Pu-hu-hu… you wouldn’t believe it! At first, even I didn’t believe you… but now that you ask for that knowledge, it shall be bestowed upon you!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Spinning her stick and staring directly at Sayo, the necromancer seemed to be preparing for a grand finish.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“...You took the focus and sold it to a dragon in the caves north of this town!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Choking on her spit, Sayo stared down at the child. If it weren’t for Lisa mentioning a necromancer and the dragon’s claw being on the list of ingredients, the knight would have left Wolford and headed straight home. Instead, it sounded like she was going to walk directly into the jaws of death just to get back a small red jewel. Exasperated, Sayo sheathed her sword.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Surely this is some kind of joke?” she snapped with disdain. “You can’t just expect me to lumber into a dragon’s lair to find one gemstone! If you’re so desperate for it, why did you wait for me to come back instead of getting it yourself? You appear to be much nimbler than I am!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ako let a few small </span>
  <em>
    <span>tsk-tsk’s </span>
  </em>
  <span>escape her mouth as she shook her head. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re a knight, aren’t you? People like you exist to slay dragons so people like me don’t have to risk their lives! Besides, if you could get in there long enough to make the trade, then Ako assumes you can sneak in there long enough to get her focus back!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sayo clenched her fists. If the necromancer was so certain that she would survive, then she’d make sure to prove it. The knight silently decided that she would be certain to enter the dragon’s lair and get the focus back, but she wanted to be compensated. The stress and the danger would be worth nothing if all she got in return was information.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Then I demand two things, necromancer,” Sayo insisted. “First of all, you will give me the dragon claw. Whether it is a real claw or not, if I believed that it was a dragon claw once it may be necessary to some of my endeavors.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Without a moment of hesitation, she nodded. Her purple twintails bobbed up and down rapidly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Consider your wish granted!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And secondly,” Sayo continued, “I wish to be compensated </span>
  <em>
    <span>in full. </span>
  </em>
  <span>If I return your precious little gem, I want you to repay me in some way for my time and effort. Should I come back and you give me nothing but the claw, I will withhold your precious object from you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She watched as the necromancer winced and pulled her stick close to her body. Her entire figure balled up at the harshness of Sayo’s words. For a split second, the knight regretted speaking so harshly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“...Okee-doke~!” Ako exclaimed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Suddenly even more infuriated by Ako’s response, Sayo found she had no choice but to pursue the dragon. Should the necromancer uphold her end of the deal, Sayo imagined that she’d have enough gold to get a horse back to Aster. If she didn’t, then the knight imagined she’d have fun returning to the small farmer’s town demanding some sort of compensation from Ako. Though it wasn’t morally correct to act the way she was, Sayo felt she had no choice considering the danger of her upcoming adventure.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>In a way, nothing felt correct, but it seemed the only kind person who had answers was nowhere to be found. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sayo Hikawa silently hoped that finding the necromancer’s focus would help her unbury some sort of clues regarding Rinko Shirokane.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>~~~~~</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It didn’t take Sayo long to determine which direction was north from Wolford. Steadily making her way up many hills, the knight only stopped when she was certain she had arrived at the dragon’s lair. The cave’s entrance was taller than a farmhouse and wider than a small field. Only the gods knew how deep it went. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The stench of wet metal and smoke hung in the air. If Sayo wasn’t mistaken, the only thing that could emit such a distinctive odor would be a dragon’s lair. The smell of wet metal came from the abundance of gold and metallics that the dragon would hoard, and the smell of smoke came from the dragon itself. There was no doubt in her mind that the ‘dragon’s lair’ the necromancer had told her about housed a real dragon inside of it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As Sayo slowly entered the mouth of the cave, she became extremely aware of the risk that she was taking by pursuing the focus. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Smoke curled along the stalactites that hung far above the knight’s head. It became darker and darker around her as she quietly stepped across the downward-sloping rocks. Her only guide was the hand she carefully dragged against the wall to make sure she was still in the same corridor. Even though she wore protective metal boots, she did her best to slow each of her footsteps so it didn’t make any sounds. All Sayo could hear was the low breaths she took and the occasional </span>
  <em>
    <span>clink </span>
  </em>
  <span>of her sword against her back. For a while, she was certain that she had missed the dragon’s lair entirely.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When the corridor finally ended and opened up to a large, glittering room, however, Sayo had to catch her breath. Endless mounds of gold, jewels, and valuables were stacked up in various parts of the room. Though there was little natural light coming in, small beams of brightness reflected across the metals to brighten the entire cave. For a split second, the knight wondered why no thief had come and plundered the place already. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She took back her thought as her eyes traveled to the center of the cave. Sitting atop the gold was a large, golden dragon that had curled up like a kitten above its treasures. It hid its hands beneath a glorious golden snout. Every time it sharply exhaled, a small puff of smoke rose to the top of the cave from its nostrils. Sayo was no dragon expert, but she was certain it was sleeping.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No better time to steal, I suppose.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Carefully traveling along the wall, Sayo made sure to not make any sounds as she began stepping into the mounds of gold. Scanning amongst the great mounds, at first she believed that a red gem would have stood out in a sea of gold, but the amount of jewelry with all sorts of colors proved her wrong. She was trying to look for anything that wasn’t gold but instead got distracted by the occasional blue, green, or purple. Holding her head, the knight gritted her teeth. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The closer she got to the dragon, the more the knight slowed down her movements. She very rarely stuck her hand into the gold to try and feel for the focus and she stopped doing it entirely after spilling a few gold coins onto the barren ground. Not daring to pocket anything beyond what she was looking for, the knight continued scanning piles for the gem. It surely couldn’t have been buried if she had only been there last night, Sayo thought. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eventually, she searched the pile that the dragon sat upon. Slowly stepping up the golden mountains, she furiously searched the piles for the small, red jewel. Sayo found her anger beginning to bubble the longer the search continued. Ako had been so certain that the focus was a standout little gem, but the knight wasn’t sure what it was supposed to look like anymore. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>In a split second of hope, she saw a red glimmer from the side of her vision. Sayo nearly dived into the pile to fish it out, yanking viciously at the spot of red as the rest of the gold tumbled down the pile. Finally pulling it free from the pile, however, she realized that she had grabbed a rose-gold locket instead of a red focus. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sayo’s blood began to boil as she threw the locket to the ground. As it fell further and further down the pile, however, it began to make small jingling sounds as it rolled across the entire mound. It finally stopped against the bare ground when it landed with a </span>
  <em>
    <span>thud </span>
  </em>
  <span>that seemed to echo across the whole chamber. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Feeling victorious for only a moment, Sayo heard an irritated snuff from behind her. As she turned around, she realized that she had forgotten about the dragon sitting atop the gold all along. The knight was standing face-to-face with the giant dragon and staring into its open violet eyes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sayo was very sure she was going to get eaten as the dragon opened its mouth. Her entire body tensed up as the dragon continued to stare at her until it closed its mouth again, still staring with a disappointed glare. After a few moments had gone by and the silence got too thick for the knight, she spoke.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“...Well? Isn’t this the part where you devour me whole? Don’t dragons like to turn human beings to ash?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The dragon rolled its eyes at her. When it opened its mouth again, however, it was surprisingly speaking.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m amazed you’re even back here again after what you did the first time, Sayo-chan. I was certain I’d never see your face again.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sayo’s jaw hung open in awe. Not only did the dragon speak, but it also knew her name. The last time she checked, she had never met a dragon before, let alone tried to speak to one. Holding her head, it began to hurt the further into her memory she tried to dig. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I-I don’t even believe we’ve met before?” Sayo stammered, trying to collect herself. “I’ve never spoken to a dragon before? I don’t recognize you!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The dragon sighed and shook its head. The overwhelming aura of disappointment that it radiated felt more deadly than the smoke that had risen to the top of the chamber, somehow. It made Sayo want to curl up in a ball and hide. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You were here just last night-- don’t you remember? We talked for quite a long time. I feel like that’s not the type of thing you’re supposed to forget about.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The knight sighed and put a hand to her forehead. She felt a little warm, but she was certain that what she was witnessing wasn’t a fever. In her lost memories, she had actually </span>
  <em>
    <span>befriended </span>
  </em>
  <span>a dragon. Something about the entire situation felt ironic due to her status as a knight, but she was pretty sure that the thought had already gone through her head once before. There was no option but to explain the problem.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I have to apologize to you because it appears I’ve forgotten </span>
  <em>
    <span>everything </span>
  </em>
  <span>I’ve done over the last few days,” Sayo explained. “The last thing I can remember before waking up in a temple was having a drink with a woman back in Aster. Suddenly, my vision faded and I was accused of wrecking a temple by a priestess. She directed me here and now I stole a necromancer’s focus and sold it to </span>
  <em>
    <span>you?” </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The dragon sat and listened, nodding its head. The golden shimmer along its scales gave the beast a regal appearance that made Sayo all the more embarrassed to be in its presence. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You didn’t really sell anything to me,” the dragon said. “I’d say it was more you </span>
  <em>
    <span>insisting </span>
  </em>
  <span>I give you one of my claws. When I asked what you would give me for it, you gave me this little trinket and told me it was magical.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sayo watched as the dragon raised one of its front talons to show that it was actually missing a claw. In the claw’s place, a small necklace with a vivid, red jewel dangled. It held a certain enticing energy to it and drew Sayo’s attention. Forcing herself to look away, she was sure that it was Ako’s focus. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ah, you see…” Sayo began, unsure of how to word her thoughts. “I actually came back to get the little trinket back. A certain necromancer told me I had stolen it off of her, and she wants it back.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The dragon seemed to frown.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I would ask for my claw back, then, but I can’t just put it back in, so my end of the bargain would now have no use to me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Feeling a shiver run down her spine, the knight could see the dragon was thinking. At first, she believed most dragons to be violent and angry, but there was something more frightening about standing in the face of a cold and calculated one. It raised the hand holding the focus up towards its large eye, curiously staring at the gem and then Sayo as if trying to consider what to do next.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Where did you say you were from, Sayo-chan?” the dragon asked. “I have a proposition.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The question caught her off guard.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Before I answer that,” Sayo insisted, “I feel strange every time you say my name. Out of courtesy, if you had told me before, can you remind me of your name again?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>If a dragon could smile, it seemed the golden one wore a small smile.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You addressed me as Shirasagi the last time we spoke,” it said while lowering the focus. “I will leave the other half of my name as something you can figure out later.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Later?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sayo watched as the dragon slowly held the focus out towards her. The large talons grasped the small object carefully, but the chain hooked around the dragon’s bottom claw just right.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Here is my deal,” the dragon said. “We will meet again. Regularly. Though you do not remember our first conversation, I believe it was enjoyable. I wish to meet more humans like you, and if the little tavern you spoke of is as interesting as you made it sound, then I believe it will be enjoyable.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The knight bit her lip. There was no way a dragon was going to fit inside the tavern, let alone be allowed within a certain radius of Aster without having the guards called on it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you certain that you’ll be safe by doing that, Shirasagi-san? The guardsmen can be quite vicious, and someone of your size wouldn’t be safe-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The dragon leaned in close to the knight. A few small curls of smoke rose from its nostrils. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Do not worry about my size. What matters is that we will most certainly meet, and you will help me make more human acquaintances in exchange for your magical object. Is that a deal?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Though she was hesitant to accept, Sayo needed the focus back. She knew that without it Ako wouldn’t tell her anything about her lost memories. Besides, she imagined having a dragon as a friend might’ve come in handy in some sticky situations. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Alright, that’s fine by me. It’s a deal.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The dragon let go of the focus. Lurching forwards, Sayo caught it in her palms. She could feel the mystic energies coming off of it more powerfully within her hands. Shoving it into her pocket, the knight was certain it would bother her less if it was in a place where she couldn’t feel it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So,” the dragon continued, “where is your tavern stationed at?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The town of Aster,” Sayo explained. “It’s impossible to miss. The tavern lights up at night like the stars in the sky.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It sounds wonderful. I cannot wait to visit.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Before she spun on her heel to leave, Sayo realized that there was a chance that the dragon would know something about Rinko. After all, if they had conversed, then she was certain she would’ve said something regarding the woman and her magical drink.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ah, Shirasagi-san, before I depart,” Sayo asked, “was I by any chance accompanied by a woman by the name of Shirokane Rinko? She is a little shorter than me and has midnight black hair. Her eyes are also similar in color to yours.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The dragon shook its head.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m afraid not. You spoke very fondly of a Shirokane-san, however. Was that her?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sighing, Sayo nodded her head.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“This search keeps on getting weirder and weirder. I apologize for stealing your claw in the first place, Shirasagi-san.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>For the first time in their entire conversation, the dragon laughed. As if its aura wasn’t intimidating enough when it laughed the echo continued to bounce across the chamber. It was quick but sharp. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I believe I will make many new human acquaintances thanks to your meddling,” the dragon said with certainty. “You are a curiosity indeed.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The knight and the dragon exchanged their goodbyes and left Sayo to climb back out of the cave. Trashing a church and stealing from a necromancer was highly out of character for her, but meeting a dragon had to have been the most unexpected event yet. The only disappointment that had come out of the journey so far was the lack of information regarding Rinko Shirokane, but Sayo was hoping that giving Ako her focus would help her provide more pointers. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As she climbed out of the cave and returned to the evening light, Sayo hoped that her efforts weren’t in vain.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>~~~~~</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As she returned to Wolford, Sayo watched as Ako raced up to her with excitement in her eyes. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Did you get Ako’s focus back?” she said quickly. “Was there a dragon in the cave? Was it big and scary and frightening?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Slowly fishing the red gem out of her pocket, Sayo held the object out towards the necromancer. She watched as Ako took it immediately and began jumping with joy. Something about the way her pigtails bounced around as she held the gem up in triumph left a smile on the knight’s face.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You got it back! It’s my focus without a single scratch on it!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sayo folded her arms across her chest and smiled.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Of course, I’m a knight of Aster,” Sayo said smugly. “I was perfectly capable of getting it back. Now, I expect you to hold up your end of the deal  as well.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She watched as Ako pulled the dragon’s claw from her pocket and held it out. Sayo mentally noted how clean and well taken care of the claw was as she accepted it into her hand. Knowing the original owner of the claw, she expected nothing less from a dragon as fanciful and regal looking as Shirasagi.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Staring at Ako, Sayo felt a frown cross her face.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And the second half of the payment, necromancer? How are you to repay me for risking my life against a dragon? That’s quite a hefty sum, you know.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She watched as Ako’s posture drooped significantly.  Slowly putting her hands together, she made sure to keep the focus tight in her grasp. Sayo could feel her body begin to tense up as she stared down upon the young necromancer. When Ako finally looked back at Sayo to respond, there seemed to be desperation in her eyes. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ako… can’t repay you in much more than that…” the necromancer muttered, holding her stick close to her body. “The Udagawas don’t make much money… Onee-chan has a sheep farm and Hii-chan comes over to make dinner sometimes, but that’s it…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The sudden grumble of Sayo’s stomach was evident to both her and Ako. Reality set over her as she finally realized she had no real idea of when she last ate. Though the promise of a good meal wasn’t worth risking her life in a dragon’s lair, Sayo didn’t see the value of indebting Ako to her. She was hungry and thinking with her stomach instead of her normal, cold attitude.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Does this </span>
  <em>
    <span>Hii-chan </span>
  </em>
  <span>cook using potatoes?” Sayo asked. “If so, if you do not mind taking me in for the evening so I can rest up before my journey home, then that will clear your end of the deal.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ako’s eyes lit up as she began nodding her head. Turning and beginning to run down the street, she beckoned Sayo to follow her. The necromancer’s cape flew out from behind her as she put her focus around her neck, smiling and giggling like a child.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hii-chan grows the greatest potatoes in all the realms!” Ako exclaimed. “Hurry, or we may miss them! I’ll make your bed extra comfortable and make sure you eat like a king!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Running after Ako with all the strength she could muster, Sayo found herself thinking of nothing but the promise of a place to rest and food in her stomach. She was uncertain of what trials and tribulations still laid ahead, but at least she would be able to go into them on a full stomach.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finally approaching the Udagawa farmhouse, Sayo could smell somebody’s cooking from across the street. She watched as Ako threw the doors open, wildly gesturing towards outside. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Onee-chan, Hii-chan! The knight came back, and she got my focus… but she needs a place to stay for the night! Can we please keep her for the night? Pleeeeaaaase?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Approaching Ako and putting a hand on her shoulder, Sayo peered into the farmhouse and smiled at the pink-haired cook, who appeared shocked and surprised all at once.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I apologize for my sudden interruption, but I’m in need of food and sleep. This necromancer said she’d repay me for getting her focus back. I’m assuming sitting down and sharing a meal wouldn’t be too much to ask for?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A tall redhead stepped into view with a full grin on her face.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Of course it isn’t too much! Come on inside, both of you! We’re almost done with the preparations!” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>~~~~~</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The meal was one of the greatest Sayo had in weeks. She sat down with the three other residents of the home (who she soon learned were the two Udagawas and their friend Himari) and listened closely to their conversation. Though they only ate for close to an hour, she learned many things. Their neighbor, Uehara Himari, was a good cook and came over regularly to help out when the Udagawa adults were on a trip. The older and taller of the Udagawa sisters, Tomoe, had wanted to raise sheep since she was young and finally began a sheep farm not too long ago. Though Ako, the younger sister, also wanted to be a sheep farmer at one point, she found necromancy and magic to be much more interesting. Tomoe had gone out to the river and sifted through dirt for days in hopes of finding a proper gem for Ako to use for her wizardry; it seemed worth a lot more than Sayo first thought when Tomoe described the full experience. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>After dinner, Tomoe and Himari left to feed the sheep for the evening and left Ako to help make Sayo’s bed. When the necromancer unrolled a bear’s fur and provided a feather-fluffed pillow, Sayo was uncertain how good her quality of sleep was going to be. Only when she laid down upon it did the knight realize how comfortable the makeshift bed was. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I certainly must try using these types of furs in my own bed,” Sayo muttered as Ako decided which blanket to give her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“They are more comfy than…” Ako began, raising a hand to her chin. “More comfy than… a great big hug from a werewolf!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When Ako mentioned a werewolf, Sayo remembered the note still sitting in her pocket. Unfolding it and looking at the list again, she stared at it with confusion. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p><ul>
<li><em><span>HOLY WATER</span></em></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span>DRAGON’S CLAW</span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span>WEREWOLF FUR</span></li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The knight wondered how many of those ingredients she actually managed to get ahold of in the span of her lost memory timeframe. Looking to Ako, she realized she had never actually questioned the necromancer the way she intended to earlier. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ah, Udagawa-san,” Sayo said suddenly, “I meant to ask. When I first came here, was I accompanied by a woman named Shirokane Rinko?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ako shook her head.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Nope. Never heard of her.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sighing to herself, Sayo put a hand to her head. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s disappointing. My other question was if you remember anything I was talking about when I first encountered you. When I first asked, you said you wouldn’t tell me anything unless I got your focus back. Is that a dead end as well?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The necromancer stopped digging through the blankets long enough to think about the question. Finally, her eyes lit up as she turned to Sayo with a smile on her face.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, yes! There was one thing!” Ako said excitedly. “Most of the details were gibberish, but Ako knows for sure that you said something about repaying someone.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She puffed up her chest and began waddling around the room with a dazed look in her eyes. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sayo-san, you were all </span>
  <em>
    <span>I need to repay Minato Yukina, I gotta repay Minato Yukina. </span>
  </em>
  <span>I’m pretty sure you mentioned That name around three times? It was super important!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The knight felt her entire body stiffen at the name Ako continued to repeat. She didn’t know Minato </span>
  <em>
    <span>Yukina, </span>
  </em>
  <span>but she knew about the Minato family business out in Haneoka City. They were some of the most prestigious blacksmiths in all the land for their powerful supplies and hard work. To think that she had somehow gotten herself into trouble with the Minato family made Sayo’s head spin.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I guess I won’t be heading home after this,” Sayo sighed. “The Minato blacksmiths are stationed in Haneoka City, half a day’s travel from here. That will end up being quite the walk.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Despite her nervous blubbering, Sayo managed to catch the blanket that Ako threw at her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Then it’s time to sleep so you can make the journey tomorrow!” Ako exclaimed. “When you close your eyes and think happy thoughts, you fall asleep faster! Then you drift away into the dream plane… and you count the sheep that jump over the fences in the stars one by one…” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The thought of counting sheep in her head seemed ridiculous, but Sayo knew if she didn’t try something she’d be up all night thinking about Haneoka City and the new knowledge she had obtained. Pulling the blanket over her body and laying into the pillow, the knight squeezed her eyes shut and imagined sheep.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She could envision Tomoe and Himari outside tending to their sheep, gathering them close to an imaginary fence. In her mind, Tomoe picked up a sheep and launched it over the fence, watching it fly to the other side. She watched as she threw a second sheep followed by a third one. Sayo counted up to ten sheep, but there were more coming. When she got to twenty sheep, she felt her body begin to grow still.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>By the time Sayo Hikawa had counted thirty sheep, she was in a deep slumber.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When Ako finally noticed Sayo was asleep, she giggled and lowered her focus. Placing the small red gem on a table beside her bed, the younger Udagawa sister felt herself swell with pride. The knowledge that she was able to help Sayo made her feel like she had a great purpose beyond the walls of her family’s farmhouse. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Even necromancers like her could learn helpful tricks like sleep incantations. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>A lot of characters got introduced into here! Pretty hype if you ask me (≧∀≦)! We're officially at the halfway point of the story and general posting, but it only gets better from here! </p>
<p>Next chapter: Yukina requests the return of her finest wedding ring. Sayo does not remember wanting to get married.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Moonlit Wedding</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>A detour to Haneoka City brings Sayo into the shop owned by the Minato family of blacksmiths. The knight realizes that her debt to Yukina has some strange strings attached to them as her adventure leads her deep into the woods. Not all is what it seems in the dark, however, and Sayo is unprepared for what lurks in the shadows...</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Sayotsugu shippers are going to roast me alive after this chapter<br/>This chapter is also why the story is rated T I think (ﾟ⊿ﾟ) there's swordfighting and it gets a bit tense later in the chapter! Nobody gets hurt, though, and nothing immoral or super bad is involved.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>In Haneoka City, work continued even after the sun went down. A worker stood in a distant corner of town with a piece of steel shoved deep into a pit of hot coals. She watched as ash and sparks flew from the steel as she raised it from the coal, carefully guiding the object to a nearby anvil. Raising a hammer and continually slamming it down against the metal, she didn’t stop until it cooled. She set the future greatsword beside a grindstone and returned her vision to the flames. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her father had manned the forge for years upon years before her and supplied explorers and fighters everywhere with the finest supplies. They were large shoes to fill, but the worker insisted that she would someday outshine her father in his work. She wouldn’t stop at making </span>
  <em>
    <span>good </span>
  </em>
  <span>weapons, and she wouldn’t settle for </span>
  <em>
    <span>great </span>
  </em>
  <span>armor. If the products made in the Haneoka City forge weren’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>perfect, </span>
  </em>
  <span>then the worker refused to sleep. She refused to close her eyes until her craft was perfected. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Raising an ebony sword she was working on an evening prior, the blacksmith prepared to force the midnight-colored blade into the coals. A small gust of wind blew the lavender hair off her shoulders. Casting her weapon into the flames, she watched carefully as the fire and the heat enveloped it whole. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yukina Minato would stop at nothing to surpass her father’s smithing ability and become the greatest armored warrior in all of the land. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>~~~~~</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Sayo felt fully-rested on her detour to Haneoka City. A walk that would have taken half a day at her normal pace was even shorter thanks to her boosted energy. Within a few hours, the peaks of the Haneoka towers began to pierce the sky, making the knight feel relieved. A few times she had worried that she had gotten lost or that Tomoe pointed her in the wrong direction, but some of her worries washed away as she approached the city gates. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The only nerves that still resided were the fears that Sayo had done something criminal to the fabled Minato family. At least word about her annoying a priestess and a farming family wouldn’t travel beyond their respective towns, but the Minatos had an undeniable presence in all the exploring community. Such a revered family could destroy Sayo’s reputation to the point that she’d have to move far away and change her name. Crushing her thoughts before she could worry any longer, Sayo entered Haneoka City. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The streets were a lot busier there than they were back in her hometown. The roads were full of people vicariously auctioning away grown and handmade goods while the streets were lined with signs coaxing passerby into stores. Alchemists were advertising their remedies and small trading posts were showing off their exotic finds in the windows of their stores. Though she wanted to explore some of the shops and the wonderful things they had to offer, Sayo’s nearly-empty pockets reminded her of the fact that she was penniless until she got back to Aster. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>All that remained in her pockets was the dragon’s claw and the note, neither of the items being ones she wanted to part with.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Thankfully, Sayo was no stranger to Haneoka City. She knew where the Minato family forge was located, but the real problem was whether Minato </span>
  <em>
    <span>Yukina </span>
  </em>
  <span>was present. The city was much larger than a normal town, so tracking down a singular person could’ve easily become an all-day mission. Considering that she had already been away from Aster longer than she had hoped to be, Sayo didn’t have time to spare chasing after a blacksmith. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finally arriving in front of the blacksmith’s shop, Sayo noticed a massive forge stationed outside the shop. A pit with simmering coals and a workbench were the easiest to see from where she stood. Peering around slightly, Sayo also noticed an anvil, grindstone, and smelter sitting out for use at the job. If she knew more about smithing, she may have stopped to use them if she weren’t in such a rush. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Throwing open the doors to the shop immediately, the knight stood in full view of well-crafted weapons and armor of all types. Her first instinct was to look around at all the swords as she carefully entered. Raising a hand towards what appeared to be an ebony greataxe, Sayo was stopped by somebody sharply clearing their throat. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When she turned her head towards the source of the sound, she was more than certain that the lavender-haired woman standing at the counter was Minato Yukina. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Welcome back, Sayo.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She spoke with a sharp edge to every one of her syllables. Everything about Yukina’s presence intended to strike fear into an individual from the way her eyes narrowed down to the toughness of the armor she wore. Such a small person shouldn’t have been capable of wearing as much as Yukina was, the knight thought, but she refused to vocalize her opinions. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“A-Ah, hello Minato-san,” Sayo began, trying to stand a little straighter. “Last time I checked, I was in debt to you? How much do I owe you?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She watched as Yukina stepped back behind the shop counter and unrolled a small piece of parchment. Once she was finished scanning the page, she looked back to Sayo with eyes sharpened into slits. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t need money, knight,” she said slowly. “As I said before, if you’re not going to go through with that wedding you had planned, then I want the ring back.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It took Sayo a moment to process what she had heard. Coughing into her fist, she was uncertain how to react to what Yukina had just said. It appeared pretending she knew what was going on wasn’t going to fly with the Minato blacksmith.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“...The </span>
  <em>
    <span>wedding?” </span>
  </em>
  <span>Sayo said, dumbstruck. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes, the wedding,” Yukina repeated as if it were a known fact. “You stumbled in here just two days ago and demanded the best wedding ring I had. Do you not remember being so madly in love?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sayo could have vomited on the spot with the way Yukina was talking about her. Befriending a dragon didn’t seem so wild in comparison to </span>
  <em>
    <span>falling in love and planning a wedding. </span>
  </em>
  <span>At first, she didn’t wish to show any sort of weakness or confusion with the blacksmith, but the sheer chaos of the situation gave her no choice.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I am so sorry Minato-san,” Sayo began, “but I’m going to be upfront with you and admit that I don’t remember anything that’s happened to me for the past few days. That includes the first time we spoke and everything I did with the ring.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Only after Sayo spoke did Yukina’s tight expression begin to loosen. The way her smile playfully curled made the knight wonder if the blacksmith was enjoying her inner turmoil. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I gave you one of my best rings free of charge for your alleged wedding,” the blacksmith began, pushing her lavender hair out of her face. “You spent nearly an hour sitting against the wall. I had to put up with your babbling about the lucky woman you were to wed and how you met.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sayo felt her entire body tense up when Yukina mentioned a lucky</span>
  <em>
    <span> woman</span>
  </em>
  <span>. She prayed that her preference wasn’t going to stain her reputation in the eyes of the blacksmith. Watching as Yukina leaned forwards against the counter, it was as if she could read Sayo’s mind.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I have no qualms with that, by the way. You most likely don’t remember talking about her, either.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Shaking her head, the knight held a hand to her forehead. Though Yukina was doing her best to be reassuring and work with the situation, she still had an intimidating aura that filled the entire shop. Sayo had no idea what to expect from the conversation, but she had no choice but to listen in hopes that it would get her closer to revealing the secrets hidden in her lost memories. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“She specifically had dark hair, you said,” Yukina began as she adjusted a sword sitting on display. “Then you talked for a few minutes about how her eyes looked like gemstones that glimmered in the light. After all that, you also insisted she had a very attractive sense of mystique. I’d admit you have interesting taste if the bride looks anything like what I envisioned.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The description had Sayo’s mind racing. The only person she knew with all three of those qualities was </span>
  <em>
    <span>Rinko, </span>
  </em>
  <span>who she hadn’t seen since blacking out. Though she believed there was no way she could have insisted on marrying somebody she only knew for an evening, Sayo couldn’t trust herself. Yukina’s words were all she had to go off of. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“...Did I say her name at all?” Sayo asked meekly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Nothing of it,” Yukina answered.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The last time she checked, the knight was not in love with Rinko. There was no denying she was stunningly attractive, but falling in love in the matter of an evening seemed impossible, especially considering Sayo’s poor track record with relationships. Hina never let her live down her poor interactions with boys as a child, which made love feel unattainable at times. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Was there anything else mentioned?” Sayo said slowly as if in fear of what else Yukina could possibly tell her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She watched as Yukina raised an armored hand to her chin. It was as if she was digging back through her own memories to make sure she wasn’t missing anything vital. Finally placing her hand back on the counter, the blacksmith smiled. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You told me about the story of how the two of you met,” Yukina continued. “I remember you mentioned meeting her in the depths of the woods at a place called Highmoon Grove. The moon was full in the sky that night, and you rambled about your primal urges for exactly two minutes.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The embarrassment was going to melt Sayo into a puddle. Placing her head into her hands, she continued to listen to Yukina.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“She was there as if it were destiny for you two to meet. Apparently, you danced for a while and kissed passionately for hours on end. You declared your love was so great that the two of you had to get married as soon as possible, so you came and got the finest ring I could offer. I’m assuming after you delivered it and she accepted it that you came back to invite me to the wedding.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was no way that she was the one being talked about. Sayo was certain that it was physically impossible for her to have done everything Yukina just recounted. In retrospect, she could imagine herself trashing a church. She could also imagine herself stealing a necklace from a necromancer. The knight could </span>
  <em>
    <span>not </span>
  </em>
  <span>by any means envision herself declaring marriage to someone in the woods she had just met. The mental image left a sour taste in her mouth.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Minato-san, you said this all took place in Highmoon Grove?” Sayo said as she lifted her head, not daring to make eye contact with Yukina. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That was what you told me, yes,” the blacksmith affirmed. “Do you intend to go there next?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Considering it is the last known whereabouts of your ring, then I will have to check there first.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Standing and stretching, Sayo pinched her shoulder just to make sure that she wasn’t stuck in a dream. She had no intentions to bother the blacksmith any longer than she already had. The knight’s face burned hot with shame as she whirled on her feet and headed for the door with tense shoulders and the biting feeling of uncertainty eating at her feelings.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She was stopped by Yukina’s stern yet guiding hand resting upon her shoulder.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sayo,” the blacksmith said softly. “There is no reason to feel ashamed in the journey you made and the things you’ve done. If you don’t put your best foot forward and fully devote yourself to your work, then you won’t get back the best results. Make the most of it.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Before she had time to question Yukina’s words, the lavender-haired woman had already turned away and headed for the back of the shop. Not wanting to stay and question her any longer, Sayo sucked in her nerves and stepped back into Haneoka City. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She didn’t know what to expect at Highmoon Grove, but she had to bite her tongue and keep going. Her lost memories wouldn’t recover themselves. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>~~~~~</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It only took a little while of asking around for Sayo to realize that Highmoon Grove was far off the beaten path. An unfinished trail was eventually supposed to lead to the grove itself, but it was abandoned nearly twelve years ago thanks to fear of the supernatural. When Sayo tried to press for what supernatural horror laid within the woods, the people became too frightened to give her a response. All she could do was sigh and keep her sword at the ready as she crept through the tall grass. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The trees overhead began to block out the sun as the knight strayed from the beaten path. She could see small patches of light illuminating the forest floor, but it didn’t bring her any ease. There were too many parts of the woods that were too dark to see into for Sayo to feel safe, which forced her to constantly hold a hand over her weapon. She drew her sword immediately at the first signs of movement. In the time she spent walking in the woods, she was startled into action by two squirrels. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As the sun began to settle behind the trees, changing the way the light shifted around the forest, Sayo began to feel like her mission was hopeless. She considered how much it would cost to pay off a debt to the Minato family for the ring while dragging her feet through the dirt. Yukina did say it was one of her best. The knight didn’t want to imagine being in debt for life because she couldn’t track down a simple wedding ring. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When the moon began to rise, Sayo finally understood why the area was given the name of </span>
  <em>
    <span>Highmoon Grove. </span>
  </em>
  <span>The moon appeared to be high in the sky as Sayo peered upwards through steadily clearing trees. Cast in a soft, grey glow, the knight realized that hiding from anything wouldn’t end in her favor. Sharply breathing in, she cast aside any fear that had begun to settle in her chest and pressed onward. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Towards the far end of Highmoon Grove, Sayo noticed a small house with wooden signs surrounding it. She slowly approached one of the closest signs and ran her finger over the words </span>
  <em>
    <span>KEEP OUT </span>
  </em>
  <span>painted in black. As she looked around at a few of the other signs, they all held similar messages. Angry skulls and crossbones were drawn upon some of them while others continued to shout the same messages of warning. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Despite all the signs being up, Sayo was uncertain what they were trying to warn her of. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She steadily approached the front yard of the house and noticed a stone walkway that led directly to the door. Though Sayo held a bit of apprehension getting close to the mysterious house, she was certain that there were no other living establishments in Highmoon Grove. The mysterious woman she intended to marry had to have been living in that house. Shaking her head, she tried to swallow back the horrid feeling in the back of her throat that came with the idea she wanted to marry anybody.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“How foolish of me. Marrying somebody I had just met… even Hina would never do something so idiotic,” she hissed to herself.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The door to the small house at the end of the stone pathway creaked slightly as Sayo spoke. Immediately directing her gaze towards the doorway, she saw somebody standing behind the door staring at her with a nervous gaze. It seemed as if they were trying to hide in the darkness of the house’s interior and watch the knight from afar. Thankfully, her trained eye had caught the stranger.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hello?” Sayo asked, raising a hand. “My name is Hikawa Sayo. I’ve come to ask about a wedding ring.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Slowly, the figure standing behind the door stepped out from the darkness. Sayo realized immediately that it was nobody she recognized, and she wore a heavy fur coat over her small body. Chocolate brown hair rested at her shoulders and her equally brown eyes stared Sayo down with a fearful edge.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She took a moment to muster her courage before speaking.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“-Please take it back!” the brown-eyed woman exclaimed. “I don’t mean to be rude, you’re very kind, but…I don’t think we should be married...”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sayo immediately noted that the woman in the fur coat did not look like Rinko. She had a similar, timid charm, but she lacked the black hair and the purple eyes. Rinko was also a little bit taller and had hands that appeared to be much smoother. The fact that the knight could recount so many details off the top of her head about a woman she hardly knew worried her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m afraid I agree,” Sayo began, trying to remove any sort of hostility from her voice. “Is it okay if we talk for a minute? Will I be ambushed?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The brunette looked over her shoulder at the door behind her. After a moment of staring, she turned forwards again and mustered a weak smile. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“There’s no ambush waiting here. Just… please be careful that you don’t grab me immediately. It was startling the last time you did that.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Taking a cautious step onto the stone walkway, a small part of Sayo feared what she had done to the poor woman in front of her. She clearly did not want to be in Sayo’s presence, or she at least didn’t want to be wed to the knight to a </span>
  <em>
    <span>desperate </span>
  </em>
  <span>extent. Sighing to herself, Sayo folded her hands at her waist. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“As I stated, my name is Hikawa Sayo,” the knight began, “and these last few evenings I’ve managed to lose my memory. I was out with a friend at the local tavern and have apparently done many odd things… I can’t imagine I treated you the way I normally would.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The brunette’s entire body seemed to light up a little bit as she smiled. Sayo equated her to a squirrel with the way she wore her fur coat and did her hair. Such a cute little squirrel did not seem like the type of individual she would marry within a night of meeting them, however. For her personal record, Sayo didn’t intend to marry anybody within only a night of knowing them. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You don’t remember anything?” the brunette asked. “In that case, I should introduce myself again. My name is Hazawa Tsugumi!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Instead of putting out her hand for a normal handshake, Tsugumi instead opted for a small hand wave. She seemed hesitant to get within an arm’s length of the knight with the way she cautiously kept her distance. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hazawa-san, is there a reason you insist upon standing so far away from me? I have no intentions of hurting you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ah, I’m sure!” Tsugumi exclaimed, bringing her hands to her chest. “I’m just quite nervous after the way you acted the night you first came around. I can’t believe you don’t remember it… I was terrified!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was one thing for the knight to be intimidating. She didn’t mind coming off as scary if the person she was trying to scare was actively trying to harm her. What she didn’t appreciate was appearing to be </span>
  <em>
    <span>terrifying </span>
  </em>
  <span>to the bundled-up squirrel woman. Tsugumi seemed nice but fragile. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Terrified of what?” Sayo insisted. “The more you can recall to me, the more of my lost memories I can put back together. If it doesn’t hurt you to talk to me about it, then please explain to the best of your ability.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sayo’s attempt at kindness didn’t appear to settle as well with the woman as she had hoped. She ran her hands along her fur coat arms, carefully petting the coat as if it were an animal. Hugging it close, Tsugumi had a hard time staring Sayo directly in the eyes. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I-It’s a bit embarrassing,” she muttered. “Perhaps getting the ring back will jog your memory more than my talking will… let me go find it!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As if she were looking for an excuse to get out of the uncomfortable conversation, Tsugumi disappeared back behind the door of the home she appeared from. The knight felt a bit distraught at the idea that she had thoroughly shaken up the brunette, but she was also certain she could repay whatever misdeeds she had created. After all, it seemed like Lisa and Ako were much more upset with Sayo’s actions. Tsugumi just seemed extremely worried. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Rocking back and forth on her feet, Sayo hardly realized the time was passing. Carefully resting a hand on a nearby tree trunk, she wasn’t watching for anything particular in the woods around her. She didn’t train her ears for footsteps or check to see if any twigs had snapped from a little while around. It wasn’t a case of her neglecting her surroundings and instead became a problem of getting too enveloped in them. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sayo was so busy looking at the flowers that she nearly missed somebody pointing an arrow at the side of her head. The soft, but sharp sound of somebody notching an arrow on a bow pierced through the knight’s deep concentration. She turned around furiously and drew her sword to notice that the hunter hadn’t tried very hard to hide. The red streak in her hair stood out against the dark colors of the night. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“If you shoot that arrow,” the knight snapped immediately, “I will not hesitate to cut you down! Step into the light and state your name!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Surprisingly, there was immediate compliance from the near-attacker. She lowered her bow with a grunt of irritation before emerging in the front yard of the house. Her eyes were narrowed as she shot an angry glare at Sayo. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“...Do you know how to read?” the hunter hissed under her breath. “How many </span>
  <em>
    <span>keep out </span>
  </em>
  <span>signs do I need to put up before you get the point?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The knight refused to put away her sword. There was too much hostility for her to drop her guard. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I apologize, but I needed to get something back that I had brought here a few evenings ago,” Sayo continued, trying to speak without malice. “I don’t know who you are. If you leave me alone, then I won’t hurt you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She watched as the hunter lowered her bow and returned the notched arrow to a quiver upon her back. As quick as she had returned the bow, she grabbed a sword from her waist and carefully held the grip. Her gaze continued to jump from Sayo to the house as if anticipating something. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“When I’m done with you, you’ll wish you had never met me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Immediately drawing the sword and holding it forwards towards Sayo, a determined gleam shimmered behind the hunter’s eyes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“My name is Mitake Ran, and I am challenging you to a duel for Tsugumi’s hand in marriage!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lowering her eyes to Ran’s sword, Sayo felt panic trickling through her veins. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I-I have no intentions of marrying Hazawa-san!” the knight exclaimed, slowly drawing her own sword. “This is all a big misunderstanding, I swear to you. Please put the sword away and let us talk cordially about this!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ran’s unwavering stare made it evident to Sayo that she wasn’t going to let up anytime soon. The knight drew her own sword from where it sat and held it protectively near her body. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What I saw was no misunderstanding,” Ran muttered. “You spent the entire evening two nights ago with Tsugumi, buttering her up and telling her about how in love you were. It was </span>
  <em>
    <span>sickening. </span>
  </em>
  <span>To top it all off, you came back and professed your undying devotion to her with a wedding ring!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>An angry growl rose from Ran’s throat.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“...</span>
  <em>
    <span>I am certain I care more for her than you do, and you will die for underestimating the power of my love!” </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The knight knew she wasn’t in love with Tsugumi. She knew nothing about the poor brunette, still probably digging around for the wedding ring that was haphazardly forced upon her. Nothing in her body craved marriage, but it seemed as if Ran was vying for superiority. If the hunter wanted to fight Sayo, then it was a fight she would receive. The elder Hikawa twin did not like losing.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I reiterate, I have no intentions of marrying Hazawa-san,” Sayo said while preparing her sword, “but if it is a fight you want, it is a fight you will receive. To the death, Mitake-san.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Without a moment to spare, Ran launched herself at Sayo with the rage of an animal. The knight immediately raised her own sword to deflect the powerful strike aimed towards her stomach, but Ran didn’t seem to stop there. She made swing after swing in a manner that was difficult for Sayo to predict, but she managed to find enough room to keep retreating backward from Ran’s wrath.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>At the first sign of the hunter dropping her guard, Sayo made her own swift stab. Ran easily parried the attack with a small spin, going for another cut in Sayo’s moment of thought. She realized quickly that it would be near impossible for one of them to get a hit on the other. Sayo was much too calculating for Ran to make an attack, but she was much too quick for the thoughtful Sayo to land a hit. Their swords continued clashing in the front yard of the wooden house. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The longer the fight went on, the more Sayo realized that she had no intentions of killing Ran. Although they agreed their duel was </span>
  <em>
    <span>to the death, </span>
  </em>
  <span>she didn’t believe it to be fair to hurt someone who hadn’t really done her wrong. Her words to Rinko regarding witches many evenings before echoed in her head.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>They are people just as much as we are. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Taking her sword and making a defensive maneuver, Sayo could feel the aching of her heart. Surely she would find Rinko eventually? She could envision Rinko’s soft smile and her gentle words in the heat of the moment.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>I think… what you said was noble. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ran lunged forwards to make a sharp stab towards Sayo’s stomach, but instead of taking her sword and knocking it away, Sayo stepped back. The hunter, realizing the change in the knight’s attack patterns, fell onto the ground with a resounding </span>
  <em>
    <span>thump. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Some dirt particles stuck to her face, causing her to cough a few times before turning back to Sayo.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The knight stood unmoving.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well? Aren’t you going to keep fighting, Sayo-san?” Ran said, trying to hide her exasperation. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Before she could answer the question, the door to the wooden house flew open. Tsugumi stood in the doorway for no more than a moment and immediately sprinted to Ran’s side. The hunter’s face was covered in dirt, and Tsugumi carefully began wiping it away.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ran-chan!” she said with worry. “Are you alright? You’re covered in soil and grime…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The hostility seemed to sink away from Ran’s face at Tsugumi’s touch. Moments earlier she was a vicious hunter who wanted nothing more than to see Sayo dead, but it seemed as if a switch was flipped the moment Tsugumi arrived. Their gentle interaction held a special feeling that Sayo couldn’t quite explain.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you okay too, Sayo-san?” she asked while casting her gaze upon the knight. “If I knew that Ran was going to appear out of nowhere, I would’ve warned you... I apologize.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I didn’t come out nowhere,” the hunter insisted, “I live here… don’t pretend I would have just ignored a visitor…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tsugumi giggled lightly as she finished cleaning off Ran’s face. Standing from where she kneeled earlier, she slowly approached Sayo with a closed fist. Once they were only a few feet apart, Tsugumi held out her hand and opened it up. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sitting within her palm was one of the prettiest rings Sayo had ever laid her eyes upon. Engraved within the metal were blue roses intermingled with a variety of flowers, all tied together by snaking roots. Even in the dim light of the moon, it held a shine unlike anything the knight had ever seen before. Yukina was a skilled blacksmith.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“As I said, I apologize for giving this back,” Tsugumi admitted, “but I think you were a bit ahead of yourself to try and marry someone you had just met. We can still be friends though!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Biting her tongue, Sayo could feel the sting of shame within Tsugumi’s words. She knew for a fact that she never would have acted that way had she been in the right headspace. It was hard to make up for things she couldn’t recall doing.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Do you remember anything else now that the ring is in your hand?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The knight picked up the small object and observed it closely. She scrutinized every side and every detail of the object in hopes that she would get a flash of sudden memory, but nothing occurred. Turning the ring over and over again returned no results. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Nothing,” Sayo sighed. “Nothing at all.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ran, who had finally stood from where she had fallen, approached Tsugumi with a neutral expression.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You were acting ridiculous the first time you arrived,” the hunter snapped. “I don’t know how many times I had to tell you off. At least a hundred times you insisted that you were fated to be with Tsugumi, yet you had never even met before!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Looking at the brunette wistfully, Sayo really hoped she hadn’t done anything terrible to her. Tsugumi seemed too nice to deserve any of the oddity that came over Sayo in her hazy stupor. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“...I didn’t hurt you, Hazawa-san, did I?” the knight asked. “The person who crafted this ring said I was… </span>
  <em>
    <span>particularly forward </span>
  </em>
  <span>when I explained my endeavors to her. Is this true?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tsugumi smiled gently, but it was Ran who spoke next.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You hardly even touched her! The only times you got your grubby hands on her was when you first arrived and hug-attacked her, and when you gently held her hands after she accepted the ring from you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The knight sighed with relief. The dancing and the passionate kissing were both fabrications, then. She was certain that she would have never forgiven herself had she actually done both of those things. Despite most of Sayo’s questions being answered, there was still one more thing on her mind. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I have one more query if you don’t mind,” the knight continued. “Did I mention a woman by the name of Shirokane Rinko at all? She’s important to my mission, and I believe that finding her may help me retrieve my memories.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It seemed as if both Tsugumi and Ran had to think about the question. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You mentioned her once, I believe?” Tsugumi responded. “It might’ve been a different name, but I’m almost certain now that you said something about Shirokane-san. You said that she was looking for werewolf fur and that she knew there were werewolves in these woods? It was garbled, but I believe you asked me once to help you find a werewolf.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Gasping aloud, Sayo retrieved the note from her pocket. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li><em><span>HOLY WATER</span></em></li>
<li><em><span>DRAGON’S CLAW</span></em></li>
<li><em><span>WEREWOLF FUR</span></em></li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“So Shirokane-san was looking for these objects too?” Sayo wondered aloud. “Hm… I believe that your information may lead to a breakthrough of sorts.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tsugumi clapped her hands together with a beaming smile. Ran nodded her head before turning back towards the house and stretching slightly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“After all that fighting, I’m going to go bathe.” Ran said to the group. “I’ll see you once I’m out, Tsugumi.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The hunter disappeared into the house, leaving the brunette and the knight to stand in the front yard. Sayo put the ingredients list back into her pocket before returning her gaze to Tsugumi again.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Before I leave, I’d just like to apologize one more time about all the trouble I’ve caused,” Sayo mumbled. “For you, and for Mitake-san.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ah, don’t worry about it,” Tsugumi happily reassured the knight. “Ran just gets a little defensive, and nothing bad happened to me. I’m just glad that you got your ring back and you were able to gain some new information.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The banter before the duel against Ran returned to Sayo’s mind. She couldn’t help but wonder if Tsugumi knew how much the hunter really cared for her. It would have been criminal to repeat Ran’s words to Tsugumi outright, but she didn’t want to hold her tongue on the manner.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You know, Mitake-san cares greatly for you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tsugumi’s eyes widened for a single moment, but it was enough for Sayo to see her surprise. Slowly raising one of her hands to her face, she tried to cover the small blush that formed around her nose. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Just like Rinko, </span>
  </em>
  <span>Sayo noted mentally. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I suppose so…” Tsugumi said softly. “She’s been there for me longer than anyone else has, after all. I owe her my life for being so good to me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>If Tsugumi was a dog, Sayo believed that she’d be wagging her tail. An unmissable shine entered her expressions when she talked about Ran, and it left a bright feeling inside the knight. The warmth of their bond was infectious.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I should hope you continue to get along in the future. Now, do not let me take up your evening. I must return this ring to its maker.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nodding twice, Tsugumi raised a hand and gave Sayo a small wave.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Alright! Safe travels, Sayo-san! May we meet again!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The knight returned the wave as she turned her back to Highmoon Grove and began escorting herself through the trees. The moon was much higher in the sky than it had been when she first arrived at the wooden house. The patches of light that lit the path were in different places and made the knight doubt she was going in the correct direction many times. Her sense of direction wasn’t the greatest, but she knew that as long as she exited the woods she’d eventually return to Haneoka City.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yukina didn’t seem like the type of person that would want to wait forever, after all. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>~~~~~</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was almost midnight when Yukina returned to work. Her ebony sword still sat beside the forge where she left it, fully cooled after the work she had done on it earlier. Picking up the weapon and holding it carefully in her hands, she smiled at her handiwork. Soon she would personalize the sword and make it her own. She envisioned beautiful engravings upon it of flowers, vines, and the loving grasp of nature.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nothing spoke her mind like the image of the blue rose. Such a flower was impossible to grow in the wild without magic, but it symbolically spoke volumes more than any natural growing flower. The blue rose was the symbol of </span>
  <em>
    <span>overcoming the impossible, </span>
  </em>
  <span>which Yukina managed to do every single day. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The only other object she had crafted with the flower symbolism was the wedding ring she had so foolishly given to Sayo. As she observed the ebony blade, she found a yearning for the return of her ring. Love seemed impossible in a world where she surrounded herself with work, sweat, and the ash of the forge. If she were to ever find something so beautiful, though, Yukina swore she would present that very wedding ring to the one who cared so deeply about her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Shaking her head, the lavender-haired blacksmith threw her thoughts into the flames as she began to ignite the coals. There was no room for love in her line of work. Only labor should have dominated her thoughts.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The forge began to burn with a bright heat as Yukina heard someone call to her from the streets.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Minato-san! I have your ring!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A lump formed in the blacksmith’s throat the moment she heard Sayo’s words carry across the wind. </span>
  <em>
    <span>So much for expelling those feelings, </span>
  </em>
  <span>she thought to herself. Despite wanting to wring her heart out into the flames, she had to take care of the knight first. Stepping away from the forge and walking to the streets with a deadpan expression, Yukina folded her arms across her armored chest.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So you say. Where is it?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She watched as Sayo opened one of her hands to reveal the ring in perfect condition. Not a single scratch laid upon the band of pure gold, and all the engravings upon the inside were still carefully cut and unchanged. Without wasting another moment, Yukina took it and slipped it onto the middle finger of her right hand. Sayo watched her movements with a hawk’s eye, but Yukina immediately turned the attention away from her hand. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Your debt has been repaid, Sayo,” she said to the knight sharply. “You no longer owe me your assistance. I am sorry your wedding had a falling-out.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s no problem,” Sayo responded. “In fact, I feel it may be better that I never got married in the first place. The to-be bride has someone much closer to her who deserves her love much more than I do.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yukina nodded to Sayo in understanding. She didn’t know what had occurred between the knight and her significant other, but the blacksmith was glad that it was resolved calmly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Before I leave, I have one more question for you,” Sayo said suddenly. “Did I ever mention where this wedding was going to take place? You mentioned that I had invited you, but you never told me exactly where it was going to be.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was a surprise question, but Yukina was certain she knew the answer. Sayo had talked a lot of nonsense to her, but she seemed very determined to make sure Yukina came to the wedding. Finally, she recalled what the knight had said to her a few days prior.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ah, yes. It was at a place that you called Faith Tower. You explained that it stands west of the woods and has large, white stones making up its exterior. It couldn’t be missed.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yukina watched as Sayo’s expression twisted into a frown. No matter how hard the knight tried, the blacksmith could read her like an open book. Something was intriguing about watching Sayo juggle her thoughts, but Yukina didn’t want to openly tease.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t remember it, but I will be sure to go there next,” Sayo determined. “Thank you for all your time, Minato-san, and I apologize for any trouble I may have caused.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“As I said before,” the blacksmith continued, “you have returned the one thing you owed to me. You are no longer in my debt. Do not fear my wrath should you end up coming again— the Minato family will always welcome you with open arms.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A smile crossed the knight’s face as she looked at Yukina one more time. Though they had spoken little, a sense of understanding existed between the two of them. As Sayo walked down the street to the city gates, Yukina couldn’t help but stare at the ring on her finger. She was certain that the knight had no idea they had so much in common. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>No matter what, however, Yukina was unable to let her guard down. She wasn’t allowed to wander into the woods and go on adventures that would get her in trouble. The blacksmith held steadfastly to her goal to surpass her father and judging from the work she had done she was well on her way there. With her ring returned, she felt a sense of pride rise in her chest. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Despite the great news, there was no time for the blacksmith to rest. Even in the dead of night, she picked up the ebony sword and sat down with a dagger. Her hair fell in front of her shoulders as she began her handiwork to create true beauty within her blade. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yukina Minato would stop at nothing to surpass her father’s smithing ability, but something deep within her yearned for something more than that. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I was super excited to write this chapter! There's lots of characters introduced here and they all have such a varied range of motivations and feelings... it's almost character study territory ^ω^</p>
<p>Next chapter: A familiar friend takes Sayo to a mysterious and wonderful place.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. A Journey's End</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Finally arriving at Faith Tower, Sayo finds some closure to her mysterious and ever-changing adventure. She is reunited with a friendly face and finally provided answers to help clear her clouded mind.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Far beyond the woods, Faith Tower stood alone in a vast field of tall grasses. The white bricks that made up its walls greatly contrasted the dark of the evening night that made up the sky, making it even easier to see once the knight had emerged into the plains. The moon stood far in the distance, yet Sayo felt greatly illuminated by it as she trudged through the grass. It wasn’t until she stood directly within the shadow of the tower that she finally took it in. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The tower appeared to be abandoned from the outside spare two flags that flew beside its windows. Though Sayo was uncertain of what they meant, they appeared to be two arcane symbols of some sort. She had done enough exploring to know that Faith Tower had to be a mage’s tower where wizards gathered to speak to each other. The time of wizards and witches populating the world was long ago, though, as anybody with magical abilities kept it a secret. Most people feared magic.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As she opened the door to Faith Tower, Sayo mentally noted that she was not one of those people. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Musty air filled her lungs as she stepped into the interior. The entry hallway was dimly lit by windows that let distant moonlight into the room, allowing Sayo to look around. Abandoned forge tools laid upon tables beside books with covers that the knight didn’t understand. She could’ve spent hours exploring that room, but she was certain there was something else to be searching for. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sayo needed to find where she was going to get married. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Even though the wedding was called off, the knight was certain that she’d find a key to her memories where it was supposed to occur. She was certain that </span>
  <em>
    <span>somebody </span>
  </em>
  <span>she invited had to leave some object or note that would give some sort of explanation. Sayo wasn’t even sure of </span>
  <em>
    <span>who </span>
  </em>
  <span>she invited. Holding her head as she walked out of the entryway, she rubbed her head.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I wonder if Babanbo is watching me now. Perhaps this is a punishment for trashing the temple?” the knight wondered aloud, looking around the next room.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A large, open area stretched before Sayo with a few tables set up. White vines curled along the ceiling and the tables that reminded her of the color of the exterior walls. In the center of the room, a set of stairs let deeper into the tower and far into the underground. Despite the area being cluttered, it was obvious to Sayo that it was abandoned. No person had touched it for ages, let alone for a wedding. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Descending down a spiral set of stairs, the knight could feel exhaustion wearing away at her body. She didn’t have a real meal since the morning and spent her entire evening exploring different buildings and environments. Adrenaline pushed her forwards into the depths of the tower and deeper into the darkness. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sayo stared down a hallway that stretched further than her eyes could see. A misty haze clouded the far end of the hallway, but the knight was determined to get to the bitter end of Faith Tower. The further she walked into the hallway, the worse her vision got. No matter how much blinking she did and how much she swatted at the air around her the mist didn’t leave the hallway. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She walked for minutes upon end until she entered a room larger than the ones above the ground. The ceiling was far above her head and the center of the room held a large, circular pedestal. Almost all of the walls surrounding Sayo were built with turquoise blocks that reflected the color of the sea back onto the knight’s skin. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Between the mist and the shadows, Sayo almost missed a figure hunched over on the other side of the altar. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A person with a large cape upon their back kneeled on the ground facing away from Sayo, carefully picking at something on the ground. She didn’t recognize them while they sat upon the ground, but the odds of her inviting strangers to the wedding seemed more likely than she wanted to admit. Drawing her sword, Sayo approached. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her footsteps hit the ground with a loud echo. Metal made contact with stone, and the figure could hear the noise clearly. Sayo walked with intention while slowly making her way closer to the person, who didn’t dare turn around. It wasn’t until Sayo stood directly behind them with her sword at her side that the person turned around to meet her eyes. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The knight froze in place when she realized she was peering at the dark-haired woman with purple eyes. They stared at each other for what felt like a century.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“...Shirokane-san?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Rinko stared blankly back at Sayo as if searching for words.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“H-Hikawa-san…” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Neither of them dared look away from each other, but Sayo couldn’t help but feel like she was dreaming. Out of all the things she expected to find within the tower, it wasn’t the one person she had been searching for. After her time with Tsugumi and Ran she had nearly given up on the proposition of finding Rinko again, but she was there. Kneeling on the ground before the knight was Rinko Shirokane. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“This isn’t a dream, is it?” Sayo asked, unsure of what to say.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I-It’s not…” Rinko responded quickly, her hands shaking slightly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The knight had many questions she wanted to ask, but she couldn’t help but notice the way Rinko was shaking. Despite most of her memory being fogged up, she could clearly recall Rinko shaking back when they had first met in Aster. Sayo put her sword back in its scabbard before trying to speak again. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I feel we have much to discuss,” she admitted flatly. “I’ve been searching for you for days, you know.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>For the first time since the knight found her, a smile spread across Rinko’s face.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I… should have made the instructions clearer…” she said softly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Instructions? I’m afraid you left me no instruction on </span>
  <em>
    <span>anything,” </span>
  </em>
  <span>Sayo explained. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A low sigh escaped from Rinko’s lips. She looked around the room before slowly standing from the ground and facing Sayo face to face. Even in the depths of the tower, she held an air of mystique, and it was charming.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“W-We should… go somewhere more inviting… to discuss this,” Rinko stuttered slightly, turning to the space behind her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“More inviting?” Sayo remarked. “There isn’t an inviting location for miles from here. Unless you find the forest to be more comfortable than this dungeon, then perhaps this is the perfect place to talk.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Though the knight should’ve found herself angrier, she found her worries being cast away as Rinko shook her head. She turned back to the open space behind them and lowered her head. Under her breath, she spoke a few words that Sayo was unable to pick up on, but she found the meaning displayed within a few moments. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Like magic, a bright blue portal emerged from thin air. It displayed a lush, flower-filled grove within the center. Sayo gasped as she looked from the portal to Rinko.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Did you just do that?” she asked, looking to Rinko with confusion. “That wasn’t a coincidence? A trick of the light?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She watched as Rinko closed her eyes and nodded slowly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We can talk about it… there.” she continued, slowly turning her head away from Sayo.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Before Rinko disappeared into the other side, Sayo reached forwards and grabbed her wrist. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“How do I know that this won’t end in me losing my memories again? Will this lead me to another rampage? I have questions that need to be answered!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The knight could feel a slight shiver run through Rinko’s hand. She slowly upturned her hand and grabbed back onto Sayo’s wrist. Gentleness poured from every motion Rinko made, no matter how confusing or unnatural the current events seemed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her smile was softer than her fingertips. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Do you trust me, Hikawa-san?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When she had taken a sip of Rinko’s drink many nights before, Sayo had full trust in the stranger. At that moment, she had every reason to </span>
  <em>
    <span>not </span>
  </em>
  <span>trust the mysterious woman. If she really wanted to, she could run away and blame her for everything that occurred, resolving to never think about her again. She never had to think about Rinko Shirokane and the previous few nights of her life if she didn’t want to.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It wasn’t difficult for Sayo to make her decision. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I suppose I do.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Without another word, Rinko took a step backward into the new world. Lightly pulling Sayo along where they were still holding arms, it only took a few steps for them to exit the dull and dark halls of Faith Tower. The new environment held a crisp taste and smelled of flourishing nature and flowers. Lanterns were hung beside a stone road that led far into the distance. Trees as far as the eye could see were colored with the shades of autumn despite it being warm like a summer’s day. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The dampness of the tower basement was no longer clinging to the knight’s bones. She took a slow, deep breath in as Rinko let go of her wrist. The environment made Sayo feel like a child in the middle of fall. It was nostalgic. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Welcome to… my little home away from home…” Rinko said softly, putting her hands behind her back. “There’s a small place you can sit down… just up ahead.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>In silent understanding, Sayo nodded her head. As Rinko began calmly walking down the stone path, the knight followed behind diligently. They walked across a small bridge with a river running beneath it. Small flowers in various shades of blue and pink grew beside the water with petals that gently swayed as the water flowed by.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sayo didn’t feel surrounded by nature in the forest. She felt like she had to watch her back wherever she went on the road to Highmoon Grove, but Rinko’s autumn grove felt different. It was overwhelmingly safe and left Sayo in a calm and peaceful state. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The sound of clinking glasses and joyous laughter came from up ahead, causing Rinko to move with a bit more speed in her step. Naturally, Sayo kept up the pace and was sure to follow behind her. They passed through a small hedge passage that opened up into another woodland clearing lit by the light of the evening. Various fireflies were held within lanterns strung around tree branches, which also helped brighten the environment.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A group of five people sat at a table in the middle of the clearing. They casually shared drinks together and laughed over nothing in particular. The person nearest to the entrance, where Sayo and Rinko stood, turned to look at the knight. She had hair the color of the sun and bright, beaming golden eyes. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sayo immediately caught her breath. She knew exactly who she was talking to.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Tsurumaki-san!” the knight exclaimed. “What are you doing here?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Having tons of fun!” she responded, showing Sayo her cup full of tea. “I’m here with all my friends, and we’re having a tea party! Kanon can pour you a cup if you want one!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As she was called on, the blue-haired bartender stood up at the other side of the table.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Kokoro-chan, please don’t put me on the spot like that…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>In awe, Sayo noted the five guests sitting around the table in Rinko’s autumn grove. Each and every one of them was residents of Aster, two of which being the same bartenders that had served her so many nights earlier. She stood at a loss for words.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Aaaand we broke Sayo-senpai,” Misaki sighed while leaning against her hand. “Kanon-san, while you’re up, can you refill my cup?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kanon delivered her signature </span>
  <em>
    <span>fuee </span>
  </em>
  <span>while nearly tripping over the foot of Kaoru Seta, one of Aster’s talented performers. The sight of all five of them happily sitting in Rinko’s grove like nothing was wrong confused Sayo beyond belief. Turning to the black-haired woman again, the knight struggled for words. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“How did they get here, Shirokane-san? Did they lose all their memories too?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Rinko shook her head and approached an empty seat at the table. The charismatic crew that had already been there was paying no attention to her as she poured herself her own cup of tea before gesturing to a chair directly beside hers. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Please, sit down… I’ll explain everything.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Not wanting to be rude, Sayo did what was asked of her and sat down. As she pulled her chair in, she could see Kokoro delightfully bouncing between Kaoru and Kanon with some splendid idea on her mind. The fifth guest, Hagumi Kitazawa, was sharing a recipe for a new meat product her family had created to be shared with the tavern. Everybody seemed to be in good spirits. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Turning her attention to Rinko, the knight felt a sense of calm wash over her once again.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Now that we’re comfortable,” Sayo began, “I have a lot I need you to answer for me. Surely you don’t mind me asking questions?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ask whatever you’d like…” Rinko responded. “I’ll tell you everything I can.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Many thoughts swirled through Sayo’s head. She wanted to ask about everything she had witnessed from the church to the dragon to Highmoon grove. More than anything else, though, she wanted a grand explanation. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m afraid I’ve lost my memories from what appears to be two days after we met in Aster,” she began. “Can you help me understand what occurred? After retracing my steps for near another two days, I still don’t understand how it all began.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Rinko folded her hands in her lap and took a breath before explaining. Though she appeared nervous for a moment, a wave of serenity washed over her features.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“After you took a sip of my drink, I realized too late that it was too much for your body to handle,” Rinko admitted. “I… was hoping to take you here to recuperate, so Matsubara-san and Okusawa-san helped me get you out of the tavern and somewhere safe… you most likely forgot your first visit here.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Looking around, Sayo was certain she would have remembered all the scenery had she been in a better headspace. It wasn’t something she was bound to forget anytime soon. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Your mind was unfortunately scrambled… thanks to the magical ingredients in the mixture,” she continued, “so it resulted in memory loss. I thought you were… well enough to return to civilization, so we discharged you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Reaching into her pocket, Sayo felt the list of ingredients in her fingers again. She recalled Tsugumi mentioning that Rinko was also looking for these ingredients for some reason. Flattening the paper out, she directed Rinko’s attention to it next.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So, I must ask… what is the relevance of werewolf fur, dragon’s claws, and holy water?” the knight asked. “I was told you were also searching for one of these items, and I have conveniently gotten my hands upon one.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sayo presented the dragon’s claw to Rinko. Slowly, Rinko took it from the knight’s hand and observed it from all angles. A small smile crossed her face.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Those were… meaningless, really. All of them.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Whatever do you mean?” Sayo exclaimed, startling Kanon. “I was desperately searching for these! Surely I didn’t nearly die multiple times over for a simple prank?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Immediately, Rinko seemed to blush furiously with embarrassment. Taking a breath and lowering her voice, Sayo felt regret for getting so loud with Rinko in the first place.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I apologize for snapping, Shirokane-san, I just went through a lot in retracing my steps and supposedly searching for these ingredients.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“They were… objects of encouragement,” Rinko explained. “You had told me when we first met… that sometimes Aster got dull for you. I wanted to encourage you to… go find excitement in the world… with that list as a set of prompts.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was no use in denying Rinko’s words. She knew that what Rinko was saying was the truth, as Sayo knew for a fact that Aster sometimes became a dull place for her. Though she had nearly died multiple times, Sayo did go on an adventure she wouldn’t forget. Silently, she was appreciative. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was still another painful question that the knight forced herself to address.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I feel this question is hardly one worth asking,” Sayo continued, “but between your magical drink and the strange place you’ve brought me, is it safe to assume you are a witch?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Slowly, Rinko nodded her head. It was obvious to Sayo that she was taking extra care to avoid meeting the eyes of the knight as she continued staring off into the woods. The knight personally felt that she should have known from the beginning Rinko was a witch, but the confirmation of the fact didn’t disturb her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So… who are you? Fully, if you don’t mind me asking,” Sayo wondered.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Balling up her fists in her lap, Rinko seemed to force herself to bring her words forward.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“My name is… Shirokane Rinko,” she said while taking major breaths between phrases. “I am… from a long line of witches… but I enjoy meeting new people… and going new places...”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>In her struggle to speak her mind, Rinko brought her head down further and further until she refused to look Sayo’s way. Her hands shook in a manner that would be impossible to see with the naked eye, but the knight had trained her perception. Reaching out with one hand, she gently rested her fingers on Rinko’s hands. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Though the gesture was small, it was appreciated as a small spread across Rinko’s face.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I understand your intentions,” Sayo admitted. “I took up exploring to meet new people and go different places too, but I never thought that someone of your sort would show up to my local tavern. Why choose me? What was so special about my presence that you wanted to sit with me?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It took a moment for Rinko to respond. She slowly took one of her hands and wrapped it kindly back around Sayo’s own that had been offered to her. The knight desperately wished to know how she managed to make her skin so soft. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I… would call it fate,” Rinko said quietly. “I was guided by my intuition... which caused us to meet.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Closing her eyes, Sayo sat with Rinko’s hand within her own. It was hard to believe that she was sitting and speaking to a real </span>
  <em>
    <span>witch, </span>
  </em>
  <span>but it seemed less stunning the more she thought about it. Witches were still just people, after all. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Then I owe you my thanks for allowing me to meet so many new people,” Sayo continued. “Thanks to the little adventure, I’ve made friends of many occupations in new towns. You’d be amazed to hear of the things that happened in the past two days.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>From the other side of the table, Hagumi and Kokoro appeared to be playing eye spy with the objects on the table. Kaoru was busy talking about the beauty and pleasures of nature with Misaki while Kanon refilled their cups. Misaki in particular had her eyes trained onto the knight.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Why don’t you tell us all about it then, Sayo-senpai?” she asked with a grin. “You’ve got an audience here who will listen to everything you say, believable or not.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hagumi turned away from Kokoro and pumped a fist into the air. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hagumi wants to listen to the story!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her excitement drew the attention of the other three people who weren’t already focused on what Sayo and Rinko were discussing.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“See what I mean?” Misaki sighed, leaning against her hand. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sayo let go of Rinko’s hand to stand up from the table and begin articulating her story. Even though it had only been two days, Sayo found that she had done a lot more than she first realized. She spoke of Morringridge and the temple in great detail, remembering the wild gestures Lisa made and how fondly she spoke of her god. Everyone at the table leaned in close when the knight spoke of necromancers and dragons. She described the massive hills of gold and the potentially disastrous deal she made with the dragon. Drawing her sword from her hip, Sayo left no details out when she explained her duel against Ran and her time with Tsugumi and Yukina. The minutes turned into hours as she wound down to the end of her journey. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She recalled the anger that had filled her with every new challenge that had come her way. Confusion and disappointment had overtaken Sayo many times, but she realized in retrospect that she felt more nostalgic than anything else. In a way, she looked forward to seeing people like Lisa, Ako, and Yukina again. It was nice to have befriended people beyond the bounds of her own home. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The knight looked upon Rinko with a warm smile.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m glad… that you’ve been safe…” Rinko said softly, standing from her seat, “but I’m afraid I have to get you home…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“H-Hina-chan has been worried sick about you!” Kanon added on from where she stood. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And </span>
  <em>
    <span>we </span>
  </em>
  <span>should really be taking care of the tavern,” Misaki prodded Kanon with her elbow.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Slowly, the group of five began walking towards the far end of the clearing. Another small hedge path led to what Sayo would assume was an exit back to Aster. As she moved to leave the table, however, Sayo found it difficult to leave the clearing behind. The inviting nature and the calm she felt while staying there was unlike anything she had experienced in a while. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Though she never would have admitted it aloud, a part of Sayo didn’t want to leave Rinko alone again.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ah, Shirokane-san…” Sayo said suddenly, turning back towards the witch. “What happens now, if you don’t mind me asking? Though Aster is a lovely town, I can’t imagine you’ll be staying for very long.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sayo watched as Rinko stood from where she sat and walked up to the knight. Though she didn’t wear a long, pointy hat or carry a broomstick, the knight was amazed by the fact she hadn’t noticed Rinko’s magical nature earlier on. Her long, elaborately-stitched cape draped protectively around her body.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I am… wherever I wish to be, Hikawa-san.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Rinko reached into one of her pockets as Sayo questioned the meaning of her words. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I apologize for being rude or dense,” the knight said, “but what is that supposed to mean?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The witch pulled a necklace from her pocket. She carefully grasped the pendant, which Sayo noted was shaped like that of a forget-me-not flower. The two of them met eyes again as Rinko placed the necklace into Sayo’s open palm.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Please take… this with you,” she spoke in a near whisper. “Though we haven’t spoken much… your kindness stretches beyond that of most. It means so much… more than I can put into words.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As Rinko pulled her hand away, Sayo held close to the necklace. She pulled it near to her chest, feeling the individual metallic petals bury themselves in her palm. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Remember me as I will remember you…” Rinko continued, “and I will never be far… no matter where you go.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The knight nodded as she undid the clasps of the necklace and pulled them behind her neck. Putting them together again, she let the forget-me-not hang over her armor, gently clinking against the steel plates she wore. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I will do just that,” Sayo affirmed. “Now, don’t let me pester you any longer. May we meet again, Shirokane-san.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The witch nodded once. Her small smile seemed to brighten her entire face.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“May we meet again, Hikawa-san!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The knight turned away from Rinko and made her way towards the exit of the grove. With every step she took, she could feel the forget-me-not gently move across her neck. Necklaces and jewelry weren’t often a part of Sayo’s normal attire, but she found herself already growing attached to the small gift. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It wasn’t long before she found herself standing at the edge of the grove. A small portal coaxed her to return back to the tavern in Aster where she had first fallen asleep. She could remember the small seat she sat in like it had just occurred, but she knew in truth that it had been many days since she had seen home. The knight hardly realized she had been away for almost four days. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was no use prolonging the inevitable, however. Closing her eyes and leaving the autumn grove, Sayo prepared herself for a return to Aster and all the people within it. Thankfully, life was never too dull for an explorer like her. There were always more adventures to go on, and more people to meet. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sayo Hikawa was sure she wouldn’t forget any of the new friends she made. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I can't believe the story is almost over! Hopefully you guys have had as much fun reading it as I had writing it（πーπ）honestly, I should try to write something else within this AU too. There's so much unresolved motivation and so many secrets... and so many characters that haven't appeared! Maybe a future project? </p>
<p>Next chapter: An epilogue of sorts. Rinko truly is wherever Sayo wishes her to be.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Epilogue (Back to a Reason)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Sayo reflects on the friendships she's made and the way her life has changed many months after her adventure. A night at the tavern becomes an evening accompanied by someone special, and she wouldn't have it any other way.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>After her fateful encounter with Rinko, many things changed in Sayo’s life. When she went exploring, she often made a few extra stops to check up on old friends. She left gifts for Lisa when she swung past Morringridge and spent evenings with the Udagawas at Wolford. The next time she went to Haneoka City, the knight put together all her earnings and requested the finest armor Yukina could craft her. She hadn’t lost a fight since acquiring it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Things were different at home too. The Aster tavern had attracted more business than it ever had before, and more of the guests were coming from out of town to see what the tavern had to offer. Misaki and Kanon were kept on their toes while Sayo gladly chatted with Ran and Tsugumi. On occasion, Chisato Shirasagi would visit (thankfully taking the form of a human being) and become acquainted with someone she hadn’t spoken to before. Moca preached the glory of bread while Kaoru and her associates performed on Friday evenings. Business was booming in Aster.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>More than anyone else, however, Sayo found herself devoting special time to Rinko. She spent what felt like endless nights meandering in the autumn grove with the witch carefully trailing behind her. They frequently played with animals and shared stories of the magical and widespread journeys they had gone on long before they met. In those moments, everything seemed perfect. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Almost everything was perfect for Sayo Hikawa. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>~~~~~</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Onee-chan! I was talking to Aya-chan and she said that witches are super scary! They have houses made of gingerbread and they cook greedy little kids into meat pie!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sighing to herself as she sat at the bar of the tavern, Sayo had no idea how to respond to Hina’s yammering. For the past week, she had been fixated on the truth about witches thanks to Aya reading from a book of fairytales to Chisato during her last visit. Though the dragoness seemed generally unperturbed by the stories, it got Hina thinking about </span>
  <em>
    <span>everything. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Pretending to know nothing was starting to wear away at the knight’s patience. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hina,” Sayo said sharply, “there is no logical explanation to someone living in a house of gingerbread. You are an inventor, yes? Tell me how a house made of food would be structurally sound.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s different from what I work on!” her sister exclaimed. “I make small boppin’ trinkets, not buildings! Besides, if a small gingerbread house still stands, why wouldn’t a full-sized one work?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Leaning against her hand, the knight glared at nothing in particular. She was tired of trying to outwit Hina when it was clear that she did not have rational thoughts. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Thankfully, somebody had come to take the burden off her shoulders.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“H-Hina-chan!” Kanon sputtered with a plate of fries in her hands. “Your food is ready! I’m bringing it to your table!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With a small giggle, Hina watched as Kanon delivered her fries far from where Sayo was sitting. The knight sighed in relief with the notion that her sister would leave her alone.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We’ll continue this discussion later! See you soon, sis!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, we hopefully won’t,” Sayo mumbled under her breath as Hina bounced away. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Although her sister was annoying to no end, Sayo found herself actively avoiding Hina less. Her time spent with Tomoe and Ako helped her understand the power of the bond between siblings. Though her relationship with Hina was drastically different than that of the necromancer and the sheep farmer, the knight still strived to reach a level of communication with her that wasn’t full of nonsense. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As she leaned forwards to grab her drink, Sayo felt her necklace brush up against her hand. She turned it carefully with her thumb and placed it in her palm. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The forget-me-not symbolized multiple feelings according to Ran, who had a formidable amount of flower arranging knowledge before moving to the woods. The overarching meaning was of remembrance of those both alive and dead. It spoke of a connection that withstood time and faithfulness to one another. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“If you’re a sappy romantic,” Ran had explained, “then it could also represent undying love. You know… growing affection and a sign of loyalty to another person.” </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sayo closed her eyes and gently placed the necklace inside her jacket. That night she had returned from a journey into the distant tundra and opted to swap her masterly-crafted armor for a fur jacket. Though it was less protective, it was much more fashionable and comfortable. The knight’s movements felt less clunky and more smooth and natural. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sayo-chan,” someone from one of the tables called, “do you have a moment?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Turning her head, she noticed Chisato Shirasagi sitting at one of the tables with a small cup in her hand. She picked it up slowly and took a dainty sip, never breaking eye contact with the knight.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Is everything well, Shirasagi-san?” she asked while raising an eyebrow. “It is a pleasure to see you back, by the way.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I am doing wonderfully,” the dragoness responded, “though I was wondering what you knew about that human woman over there.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sayo watched as Chisato pointed a finger to a pink-haired woman sitting on the other side of the tavern. Though most of Chisato’s nails were long and pointed, one of her pinky fingers had a much stubbier nail than the others. She noted that there was once a full claw there, but it had been sacrificed for the knight’s adventures many months ago.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ah, that is Uehara-san,” Sayo explained. “She lives in Wolford next door to the Udagawas. You remember the tall red-haired one and the short necromancer, yes?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I remember them both very well,” Chisato said with a smile. “Is she also a farmkeeper?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, she takes care of crops instead. I would argue she’s one of the best cooks I’ve ever met besides the bartenders here and Imai-san.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The knight would be lying if she didn’t include Lisa’s cooking in some of the best she ever had. Though the priestess made good dinner foods, her deserts were to die for. The day she sold pastries at Aster was one of the greatest financial gains for the area in ages. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I will have to ask her to show me her ways then,” Chisato continued. “By the way, Sayo-chan, it’s been a while since we talked. Has your personal life been well?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She nodded and felt the necklace press against her chest.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“My personal life has been full of excitement as per usual. Hina has been asking me to try new trinkets for her and I’ve been exploring more and more of the outlands.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Chisato coughed into her fist.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I meant… has your time spent with Rinko-chan been to your liking?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sayo looked around quickly before sitting in the seat directly next to Chisato with sudden force. She hadn’t asked the question too loud, but it was loud enough that she didn’t want to take chances of anybody hearing what else had to be said. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“...What’s that information to you?” the knight asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Nothing important. I just feel inclined to check-in thanks to the way you’ve been behaving recently when she has come by. I’ve spoken to Kanon-chan and Tsugumi-chan about it too. You become an entirely different person when she’s around. Why so shy?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Wishing she had a hood on her fur coat, Sayo wanted to retreat into the fur and folds of her jacket and not have to answer Chisato’s questions. To run away from a dragoness was certain death, however, and the knight knew Chisato would find some way to torture her into answering the queries.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“T-That’s personal business,” Sayo stammered, tearing her gaze away from Chisato. “If you wish for answers desperately, though, it has been very nice. Her presence is calming.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Chisato’s hand slowly grew close to Sayo’s neck. Slipping a finger beneath the chain and pulling the necklace out from under Sayo’s jacket, the dragoness grinned. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“She talks very highly of you,” Chisato said while eyeing the necklace. “Have you considered—”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You ask too many questions, Shirasagi-san!” the knight exclaimed, her hand twitching slightly as Chisato’s nails gently touched the necklace. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The dragoness slowly placed the necklace back against Sayo’s chest. She pressed the flower pendant gently on the front of Sayo’s jacket, and the knight was too nervous to try and hide it beneath her coat. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’ve certainly never stopped my questioning before.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It is the topic of conversation,” Sayo sighed, “that I am reluctant to answer to. Please feel free to ask about anything </span>
  <em>
    <span>other </span>
  </em>
  <span>than my relationship with Shirokane-san and I will be willing to answer.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nothing was more frightening than Chisato’s laughter. It was a small, controlled giggle, but it still managed to make Sayo’s hair stand on end. She felt a large amount of sympathy for Aya, who was in Chisato’s presence more than most people. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Very well. We shall speak again soon?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sayo stood up from where she sat and nodded in response. Thankfully, Chisato wasn’t getting angry over the knight’s reluctance. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We shall. I will see you soon, Shirasagi-san.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Departing before anything else could be asked of her, Sayo felt herself swimming in shame. Chisato’s callout on her behavior was expected given how watchful she was. For someone like Tsugumi to notice, however, meant that Sayo had truly been acting up.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She stepped outside of the tavern to get a breath of fresh air. Walking away from the front entrance where the lanterns hung, Sayo instead headed towards the back of the tavern. A small dock overlooked a river that distantly stretched in both directions. The light of the evening sky was reflected in the water, which held grey ripples as it leisurely sloshed by. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Before Sayo knew it, she was kneeling at the dock and splashing her face with water. The knight was unsure if she was blushing or not, but she didn’t want to be caught in a moment of weakness again. Splashing her face over and over, she was certain that it wasn’t making much of a difference.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Another person’s reflection appeared in the water just above Sayo’s. Turning around quickly, she noticed a familiar friend holding a towel in her direction. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ah, Shirokane-san,” Sayo spoke first, grabbing the towel from her hands. “It is a pleasure to see you here.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“...Behind the tavern?” Rinko asked softly. “Aren’t you normally inside?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I had a bit of a debacle while speaking to Shirasagi-san, so now I am here,” she explained as vaguely as possible before returning the towel to Rinko. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The witch nodded and looked down at the river. Sayo could only assume she was noticing the same details that she had a few moments earlier. The tender ripples of the water and the way the sky reflected off of it was artistic. Slowly, Rinko sat down beside Sayo on the dock.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“She didn’t… hurt you or anything… did she?” Rinko asked with an edge of concern.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sayo shook her head and instinctively reached for her necklace. Her thumb naturally retreated to the forget-me-not flower in moments of distress, though the knight found herself in a state of minimal stress. Having Rinko around was naturally relaxing.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, she would never do that,” Sayo said with a smile. “She just asked a few more questions than I was comfortable with. It’s nothing to get concerned over.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I have… every right to be concerned!” Rinko said with sudden force. “If </span>
  <em>
    <span>anybody </span>
  </em>
  <span>does something you don’t like… let me know… immediately!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The knight had found herself staring at the water as Rinko talked. When she finally turned to look at the witch, her straight expression was replaced with a smile. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’d be sure to tell you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They sat in silence as the river continued to move. In a gentle, swift movement, Rinko brought her hand beside Sayo’s own and leaned against the knight’s shoulder. In response, Sayo leaned back into Rinko and held her hand. She closed her eyes and smiled in the peace of the evening.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You carry the scent of lavender,” Sayo mentioned. “What’s that all about?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I was… gardening,” Rinko said quietly. “I’ve heard lavender is supposed to be calming… so I wanted to try growing some of my own.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I like it a lot. You should show me the garden when you’re done.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They sat for minutes on end at the edge of the dock beside each other. Sayo stopped counting sheep in her head when she realized that beside her, Rinko had closed her eyes and drifted to sleep. Her body weight had shifted to where she leaned against Sayo, causing the knight to blush furiously. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“If you were awake, I’d lecture you for overworking yourself,” Sayo began while adjusting her arms. “Gardening all night and then coming to see me without sleeping, I’m guessing…” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Taking her hand that was previously sitting in her lap, Sayo carefully brushed some of the hair out of Rinko’s face. She adjusted the other hand that Rinko was holding and placed it behind Rinko’s shoulders. The sleeping witch nearly fell into Sayo’s lap.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t think either of us would appreciate you falling into the river, Shirokane-san,” Sayo said while slowly standing up.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Placing a hand behind Rinko’s back and underneath her knees, the knight got on her feet with minimal struggle. Sleeping at home in a warm bed would’ve been much more comfortable than sitting on the docks. Before Sayo began to move, she felt Rinko move one of her hands so her fingers brushed against the knight’s neck. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Mmm… it’s been…a long day…” Rinko mumbled, barely audible.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Which is why I’m bringing you home,” Sayo said calmly. “You’ll sleep much better in a bed than you will out here.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Though Rinko attempted to make excuses, it wasn’t long before she fell quiet again. She instead continued to cling closely to Sayo, burying her head in the fur of her jacket. The tavern wasn’t a far walk from the Hikawa household, which Sayo knew would be unoccupied that evening. Hina was still in the tavern and their parents were on a trip in a city days away. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Gently opening the door with her foot, Sayo carried Rinko through the small hallways until they reached the elder Hikawa twin’s bedroom. It was carefully organized with sets of books and field guides lined up on bookshelves and trinkets set on the other side of the room. Her bed sat against the wall with covers pulled back in anticipation for the next person who would rest in it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As Sayo carefully set Rinko down and put her shoes to the side, she couldn’t help but feel a warm tingling in her fingers and hammering in her ears. Her heart felt like it was lit ablaze, but she refused to show any sign of weakness or embarrassment on her face. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sleep well,” Sayo said while she pulled the covers back. “I’ll be back in an hour or two to check in on you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She turned away in hopes of returning to the tavern. The knight only made a single step forward, however, before she was stopped by Rinko’s hand around her wrist. Her tender grasp was weakened by the lack of sleep, but each of her delicate fingers was still softer than anything else Sayo had ever felt before. Turning back around immediately, she was met by Rinko’s small smile.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hikawa-san… surely you can… spare a moment?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Though the witch wasn’t necessarily pleading, the idea of going to the tavern suddenly seemed a lot less enticing than whatever Rinko had to say. Kneeling beside the bed, Sayo was fully focused on Rinko.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Of course. Anything for you.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Such words were a slip of the tongue at the moment, but Sayo was certain she meant them. For that reason, she had no regret. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You should… stay a while longer,” Rinko said softly. “I like having you around.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Simple compliments were the knight’s weakness. Though she fought the blush that rose on her cheeks, she knew there was no avoiding it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“If you keep saying things like that, I’ll never want you to leave,” Sayo said jokingly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Time seemed to stop as Rinko moved one of her arms out from under the blankets and carefully touched the necklace around Sayo’s neck. The forget-me-not flower was still resting on her chest, proudly displayed for anyone to see.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“...You’re stuck with me… until the end of time…” she mumbled as a smile spread across her face.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>On one note, Sayo’s immediate reaction was to respond with </span>
  <em>
    <span>fine by me, </span>
  </em>
  <span>or something similarly romantic and witty. The longer she spoke to Rinko, however, the more flustered she became. Eventually, it would’ve gotten to a point where she could no longer speak, and it would be embarrassing. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Though the idea of being a smooth-talker was enticing, she found that leaning in and carefully sharing a heartfelt kiss with Rinko was much more rewarding. It was short, sweet, and made Sayo feel like she was going to melt. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It wasn’t the last kiss they would share that evening, and wouldn’t be the last evening spent in each other’s arms. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The forget-me-not flower symbolized true and undying love. That night onwards, Sayo made sure that the whole world could see the pendant on her necklace. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She wanted the whole world to know she was in love and that her feelings were true. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>~~~~~</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Did you see how she carried Rinko-san off the docks? I wasn’t the only one who saw that, right?” Himari exclaimed frantically.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Quit fogging up the window, Uehara-san,” Misaki sighed, “or I’m making you clean all of them at closing.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Aster tavern was still brimming with excitement late into the night. The regulars sat at their various tables as Misaki and Kanon continued to serve them at a rapid pace. After the old owner had retired, Misaki had inherited the tavern and put funds into improving the place even more than before. Business was booming nightly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hii-chan… do you think something is going on between them?” Priestess Moca said with a slice of bread in one hand. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“There has to be!” she exclaimed, backing away from the window. “The way they look at each other… there’s stars in their eyes! It’s as if they came out of a storybook…!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>From the other side of Moca’s table, Chisato put down her cup of tea.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Maybe it’s time to stop reading fairy tales and start reading real literature,” the dragoness said with a smile. “Any well-educated individual would know that those two are anything but storybook material. Sayo-chan is much too callous and coarse, and poor Rinko-chan doesn’t speak much at all.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“How cold, Chisato-san~!” Moca uttered before nearly inhaling her slice of bread.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Please chew your food, or I’ll list all the flaws in your behavior too.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sitting at a seat near the window, Yukina Minato finished mixing the sugar into the tea Kanon had prepared for her earlier. She didn’t come to Aster often, but she was just as enticed by Sayo’s behavior as everybody else in town. Her mystery relationship with Shirokane Rinko was becoming a hot topic under their noses, and the blacksmith was intrigued to see how it unfolded. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Doesn’t she seem so boppity-boppin’ when Rinko-chan stops by?” Hina said suddenly, grabbing Himari’s shoulders. “There is something </span>
  <em>
    <span>soooo</span>
  </em>
  <span> different about the way she talks to her. Like, normal Onee-chan is relentless and cool, but she becomes jelly when people do as much as talk about Rinko-chan!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kanon poked her head out of the kitchen.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“D-Did somebody request jelly?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Chisato sighed before waving to Kanon.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, it was just Hina talking.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Fuee…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hina turned to the one person in the tavern that she knew hadn’t spoken on the matter yet, who was still stirring her tea long after the sugar had dissolved. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yukina-chan! What do you think about this whole thing? Is it boppin’ or what?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The blacksmith turned to Hina with a straight face. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I know nothing about your sister’s personal life,” she began, “but I do believe something is going on. Only a fool would fail to see the gentleness in their gestures.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The rest of the group nodded their heads in agreement.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So well-spoken!” Himari gushed before sitting down in her seat again.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Conversations lasted well into the evening. Misaki and Kanon kept the tavern open until the sun rose in the sky again, and questions popped up over the next few hours asking where Sayo had gone. Even Hina expected her sister to be back within an hour or two, but she never made another appearance. Upon departure, the younger Hikawa twin thanked the bartenders for their service and stood under the lantern for a few minutes longer than normal.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When she finally arrived home, Sayo’s door was open just enough that she could get a small peek. Expecting something secret or forbidden, Hina was nervous to peer inside at first. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The only sight to behold was her sister and Rinko snuggled up. They were sound asleep under the covers.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Immediately turning away, she reached for the doorknob behind her and closed the door quietly. Though she saw nothing forbidden, it still felt right to respect their privacy and leave them alone until morning. Without another word, she retreated to her bedroom and prepared to go to sleep for the evening. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When she fell asleep, Hina Hikawa felt positively boppin’, and she was sure that her older sister felt the same way. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I was going to wait to post this, but it's Valentine's Day! I don't know if anybody else is going to post anything for Sayo and Rinko today, so at the very least I'll do my part and offer something to you all! I hope it's to your liking (´ω｀*)</p>
<p>As far as this AU goes, who knows? Maybe I'll write more within the universe! It's not in my upcoming plans, but it may be fun to eventually revisit Aster and the magical places that surround it. </p>
<p>Thank you to everybody who has stuck around with me through the writing and posting of this wonderful story! Your kudos and your comments have brightened my day, and I hope to entertain you in the future with more stories! (・ω&lt;)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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